Man sentenced to 24 years in prison for slamming girlfriend on floor

An Albany, NY man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for a crime that the prosecutor, District Attorney David Soares, said that "no time in prison that can make up for that type of behavior."

Donnell Bonney, 30, was found guilty of attempted murder back in June after a 14 hour deliberation over 2 days by a jury. He broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in Albany September 21 and grabbed her hair and neck. The man, on parole from an unspecified crime, was convicted of attempter murder, burglary, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and aggravated harassment. He was found not guilty of possessing a knife, menacing, and endangering the welfare of a child.

The couple's son who entered the home during the attack, probably saved the victim’s life according to prosecutors. In final arguments, Assistant District Attorney Christina Calabrese states that Bonney pounded his victim, slamming her head to the ground, and promised her on September 14 that he was going to kill the woman. Bonney’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Peter Lynch argued that testimony from doctors did not support evidence of head slams.

During sentencing, the ex-girlfriend noticed Bonney's "downwards spiral."
"The pain and fear that I felt was indescribable," stated the letter, read for the victim by Assistant District Attorney Christina Calabrese.

In concluding, Soares said, "This man intentionally tried to kill a woman he once loved and did so in the presence of one of their children. I feel there is no amount of time in prison that can make up for that type of behavior, but I hope this lengthy prison sentence helps to bring about some closure for the victim and her family,"