Staten Islan man who stabbed groom is cleared of murder charges
The man who fatally stabbed a groom-to-be during a wild fight outside a Staten Island nightspot last month has been cleared of murder charges, The Post has learned.
After weighing testimony and evidence presented over the past three weeks, a grand jury this afternoon voted a “no-bill” in an indictment against Redinel Dervishaj, 35, who plunged a butcher’s knife into bricklayer Antonio Lacertosa, 27, outside the Espana eatery in Annadale, said the Staten Island District Attorney’s office.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Antonio Lacertosa’s family and to his fiancé as they try to cope with the pain of their loss,” said DA Daniel Donovan.
“His death was a tragic and senseless end to a night that began as a celebration of a young couple’s new life together. “
Lacertosa and his family and friends had been celebrating his engagement to his 24-year-old fiancée, Bridgette Schneider
Dervishaj claimed that he acted in self defense the night of March 17 when Lacertosa and his boozed-up crew pounced on him and restaurant manager Ridi Zeneli after they confronted the drunken revelers for urinating on the front of the restaurant.
“Luckily, a lot of it was captured on video,” said Dervishaj’s lawyer, Thomas Reilly. “Not the actual stabbing, but everything leading up to it.
“You clearly see my client getting beaten, thrown over a car. He then runs to his own car to escape and is chased down by six guys who are throwing bottles at him.”
Reilly said Dervishaj fled down the alley next to Espana and back into the restaurant as a last resort to get away from Lacertosa and his posse. It was inside Espana that Dervishaj grabbed the blade.
“He reacted how anybody would react when they fear they’re about to be beaten within an inch of their life”
Dervishaj fled by bus to an aunt’s house in a Chicago suburb after the stabbing, but was apprehended March 20.
Lacertosa was buried two days later after being mourned by several hundred people at St. Thomas RC Church in Pleasant Plains.
Despite being cleared, Dervishaj is still locked up at Rikers Island awaiting the removal of an “immigration hold” placed on him by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the wake of his arrest for murder, Reilly said.
“He should be out within 48 hours,” Reilly added.
After that, he is uncertain what the future holds for his client.
“I don’t know if he has any definite plans, we really didn’t discuss it. But I doubt he’s going to tell anybody,” he said.
“[Lacertosa’s family and friends] had a severe loss and will most likely definitely react negatively if they see him. He’ll have to look over his shoulder a bit the rest of his life. He’s aware of that and is definitely concerned.”
Lacertosa’s mother, Linda, declined to comment when reached by The Post.
After weighing testimony and evidence presented over the past three weeks, a grand jury this afternoon voted a “no-bill” in an indictment against Redinel Dervishaj, 35, who plunged a butcher’s knife into bricklayer Antonio Lacertosa, 27, outside the Espana eatery in Annadale, said the Staten Island District Attorney’s office.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to Antonio Lacertosa’s family and to his fiancé as they try to cope with the pain of their loss,” said DA Daniel Donovan.
Redinel Dervishaj was cleared of murder charges.
Lacertosa and his family and friends had been celebrating his engagement to his 24-year-old fiancée, Bridgette Schneider
Dervishaj claimed that he acted in self defense the night of March 17 when Lacertosa and his boozed-up crew pounced on him and restaurant manager Ridi Zeneli after they confronted the drunken revelers for urinating on the front of the restaurant.
“Luckily, a lot of it was captured on video,” said Dervishaj’s lawyer, Thomas Reilly. “Not the actual stabbing, but everything leading up to it.
“You clearly see my client getting beaten, thrown over a car. He then runs to his own car to escape and is chased down by six guys who are throwing bottles at him.”
Reilly said Dervishaj fled down the alley next to Espana and back into the restaurant as a last resort to get away from Lacertosa and his posse. It was inside Espana that Dervishaj grabbed the blade.
“He reacted how anybody would react when they fear they’re about to be beaten within an inch of their life”
Dervishaj fled by bus to an aunt’s house in a Chicago suburb after the stabbing, but was apprehended March 20.
Lacertosa was buried two days later after being mourned by several hundred people at St. Thomas RC Church in Pleasant Plains.
Despite being cleared, Dervishaj is still locked up at Rikers Island awaiting the removal of an “immigration hold” placed on him by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the wake of his arrest for murder, Reilly said.
“He should be out within 48 hours,” Reilly added.
After that, he is uncertain what the future holds for his client.
“I don’t know if he has any definite plans, we really didn’t discuss it. But I doubt he’s going to tell anybody,” he said.
“[Lacertosa’s family and friends] had a severe loss and will most likely definitely react negatively if they see him. He’ll have to look over his shoulder a bit the rest of his life. He’s aware of that and is definitely concerned.”
Lacertosa’s mother, Linda, declined to comment when reached by The Post.
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