By Rich Bockmann
A Queens judge Wednesday sentenced a Brooklyn man to 30 years in prison for breaking into his younger brother’s South Jamaica house last year and stabbing him to death in front of his family, one week before the father of six young children was to be married.
Gideon Forde kicked down the back door to his brother’s home on Feb. 1, 2012 as his 9-year-old nephew, Isaiah, was getting ready for school.
Gideon grabbed the boy by the jacket and tried to attack him with a kitchen knife he had picked up, but the youngster was able to squirm free and ran upstairs calling out to his father, 29-year-old Clinton Forde.
Clinton’s wife-to-be, Joann Forde, and the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Ashley, were also home at the time.
As Gideon gave chase he turned the knife on Ashley, slicing her on the neck just under her chin. The two men began wrestling with each other at the top of the stairs and Gideon plunged the knife into his brother’s abdomen, puncturing his liver.
When the police arrived, Gideon had to be pepper sprayed into submission and Clinton was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Ashley was taken to Long Island Jewish Medical Center and later released.
Clinton and his fiancée were scheduled to be married a week later. The two had six children together.
In March, a jury found Gideon guilty of manslaughter, assault, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal contempt and menacing for violating an order of protection the Forde family had taken out against him.
Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise sentenced him to 30 years in prison Wednesday.
“The defendant has been convicted of brutally and viciously attacking members of his family — his brother and his niece — without provocation,” District Attorney Richard Brown said. “The sentence imposed by the court is more than warranted to keep a predator such as this defendant off the streets of Queens County.”
Gideon had a history of domestic trouble, and his family had tried several times to help him get back on his feet.
Joann said the family let Gideon stay at their home in 2011 before he went to Lauderhill, Fla., to visit a woman he has two children with.
While there he was arrested on charges he broke into the woman’s home and threatened to kill her with a knife he was brandishing.
She was able to escape from the house and police found Gideon at a nearby store. A canine officer had to chase down and subdue Gideon, who Lauderhill police said appeared intoxicated.
Joann said Gideon had a drug problem, and when he returned to New York Clinton got him a room in Brooklyn. He was unable to keep Gideon away from the family, however, which is why they filed the restraining order.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
