A Chittenden County jury has convicted a Burlington man of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of another city resident inside a downtown restaurant more than two years ago.
The jury returned the guilty verdict against Von Simmonds, 42, on Friday following a trial that began earlier in the week. The jury, which was selected Monday, April 14, had also been given the option of finding Simmonds guilty of a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Simmonds was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 23-year-old Abubakar Sharrif, which occurred in Piesanos restaurant on Main Street on Dec. 4, 2022, according to charging documents.
Sharrif was taken to University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington for treatment and was later pronounced dead at the facility.
A restaurant employee reported that there were about 10 people inside the eatery when a brawl involving several of them broke out, and that it appeared that Sharrif was trying to break it up, according to the charging documents filed in the case. Simmonds stabbed Sharrif in the chest while Sharrif was attempting to stop the fight using a kitchen knife taken from behind the counter, the charging documents stated, citing video footage and witness reports.
In reaching its verdict Friday, the jury rejected a claim by Simmonds’ attorney that he acted in self-defense, according to Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, whose office prosecuted the case.
Key evidence, according to George, was the video taken from inside the restaurant of the incident.
“From our perspective what the video showed was completely contrary to any claim of self-defense,” George said Monday, adding that there “were multiple different angles” of footage.
Simmonds did testify during the trial in his own defense, the prosecutor said.
Robert Sussman, Simmonds’ attorney, could not be reached Monday for comment.
Deputy State’s Attorneys Andrew McFarlin and Ryan Richards were the prosecution’s trial team.
Simmonds faces a sentence of up to life in prison, with a presumptive minimum jail term of 20 years to serve. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
George said Monday she was still considering what sentence her office will seek for Simmonds.
“We’ll meet with Mr. Sharrif’s family and get their input before making any decision,” George said. “Then we’ll need to find other second-degree murder convictions that are similar in circumstances so that we can attempt to be consistent in what we ask for.”
Simmonds has been held in custody since his arrest in the case in December 2022.
He has previous convictions on federal drug charges in Vermont.
