Man Unpackaged Knife to Stab Woman Criticizing His 'Uncontrolled Kids' in Grocery Line

Jammacar Rokdesh Gayle, 40, was sentenced on Monday to 12 years in prison for the brutal attack of a woman who'd gotten into an argument with his girlfriend over their "uncontrolled kids" while waiting in line at the butcher's counter in their local supermarket.

Gayle must complete three years of probation after his prison term, following his conviction for Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon or Great Bodily Harm.

Gayle's attorney, Diane Gonzalez, told McClatchy News, as covered by the Centre Daily Times, that the defendant is remorseful and broke down while testifying.

"He doesn't have a record, he's a family person; it was way out of his character," Gonzalez told the news outlet.

According to a statement from the State Attorney's Office, the incident occurred on June 9, 2023 and started when the victim overheard Gayle's girlfriend using language she deemed offensive in front of their children. The woman reportedly asked her to stop.

She also reportedly confronted Gayle and his girlfriend about their "uncontrolled kids," per the legal affidavit reviewed by Law & Crime.

All of this his led to an argument between Gayle's girlfriend and the woman. After the woman had briefly walked away with half of her order and returned for the rest, the argument resumed, according to CBS affiliate WINK.

Surveillance footage showed things beginning to get physical as Gayle's ex pushed the victim, and she pushed back, per Law & Crime. At this point, Gayle stepped in, according to the Centre Daily Times, and in response the victim pushed him and walked past him, per the footage.

It was here that Gayle allegedly grabbed a frying pan that was for sale and swung it at the women. His daughter took the pan out of his hand, per the Times, only for him to then grab a "packaged 8' chef knife from the shelf" that was also for sale.

"In the video, I observe Gayle swing, over hand twice at the victim, then twice across the victim and then twice in an over hand motion again," says the reporting detective in the arrest affidavit.

The victim was slashed "four times with the knife, along her abdomen," after which the defendant "fled to the parking lot," per the State Attorney's statement, "leaving behind his girlfriend and kids."

After the attack, the woman purportedly followed Gayle to the parking lot in an effort to get his license plate, all the while he was allegedly still brandishing the knife and "continued to threaten the victim."

The girlfriend and kids reportedly left the store shortly after, per the release, while "Good Samaritans tried to help stop the [victim's] bleeding until emergency workers arrived." She was "bleeding profusely from her abdomen and head," per the affidavit.

She reportedly told responding deputies that she was attacked "with a large chef knife that he got from the store shelf after a verbal altercation over the suspect’s uncontrolled kids," per their court filings. The victim was ultimately airlifted to a hospital and received lifesaving treatment.

The owner of the store, who was among the several witnesses to the violent altercation, stated that both the victim and the defendant were regular customers, as reported by Law & Times.

The investigation into the attack revealed that the defendant allegedly returned to his home, put his bloody clothes into a trash bag, and drove to New York. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office tracked him using surveillance videos and license plate readers, helping them "pinpoint his residence and learn his identity," per the release.

A search warrant served by the North Point Police Department on Gayle's home uncovered the bloody clothes and the knife, both found in the defendant's trash. He was subsequently picked up on an arrest warrant in Queens, New York by U.S. Marshals and extradited back to Florida.

Gonzalez offered an explanation for what looked like a flight to New York after the attack by saying he wasn't fleeing, per the Centre Daily Times, but rather was taking his son up there to stay with his mom before intending to turn himself in.

He was convicted after a three-day trial in March, with Gonzalez stating that they intend to appeal the guilty verdict.