A gay student who fatally stabbed a classmate after years of bullying has been jailed for 14 years
Abel Cedano was sentenced to 14 years in prison yesterday. (NBC New York/ YouTube)
Abel Cedeno, who came out as gay after stabbing his high school classmate to death in 2017, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Now aged 20, Cedeno fatally stabbed 15-year-old Matthew McCree and seriously injured Ariane Laboy, 16, during a fight at their high school, the Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation, New York, in 2017.
He claimed the stabbing was self-defence after years of severe homophobic bullying.
He was on trial for manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, and was found guilty at Bronx Supreme Court in July.
The court did not give him youth offender status, and sentenced him to 14 years in a state correctional facility.
According to NBC, Bronx district attorney Darcel Clark said: “His explosion of rage has left so many lives in ruins, including his own.
“Now he will spend many years in prison. We, as a society, must do everything to prevent violence in our schools.”
Abel Cedeno claimed the stabbing was self-defence after years of severe homophobic bullying. (JusticeForAbel)
LGBT+ organisation says the system failed all three young men.
Anti-Violence Project (AVP), an organisation which works to end violence against LGBT+ people, said in a statement on Twitter: “We are heartbroken by the conviction and sentencing of Abel Cedeno and the circumstances which led to the fatal incident at his school.
“From an early age, Abel was bullied by classmates for being gay and school officials failed to address or end the bullying.
“The inaction of the NYC Department of Education created a climate of increased bullying and lack of safety for Abel and led to the tragic altercation that injured Ariane LaBoy and took the life of Matthew McCree.
“AVP has supported Abel as a survivor and his family and submitted a letter to the court petitioning he be sentenced as a youthful offender, which the court denied.
