May 24, 2021 – A Mount Vernon man convicted of murder last month was sentenced today in Westchester County Court to 18-years-to-life in prison.
Savion Kirton, 27, was convicted on April 21 of Murder in the Second Degree for the June, 2019 stabbing death of Jermial Rose. Kirton’s trial was the first jury trial to take place in Westchester County Court since last fall, when jury trials were suspended for a second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The jury deliberated for 90 minutes before rendering a verdict.
A number of Rose’s family members were present at the sentencing. Rose’s sister spoke, saying that her brother “never got a chance to live and reach all his goals in life.” She said that “family is all we have and there is not much of my family left. My mom misses her son. I miss my big brother, my protector. My grandmother misses her only grandson, my aunt misses her only nephew, my six-year-old daughter misses her uncle.”
“Our hearts go out to Jermial Rose’s family, and we extend to them our deepest condolences,” said Westchester District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah. “While we know we can never bring their loved one back, we hope that the conviction and sentence of the perpetrator of this crime brings them some measure of peace.”
A short time before the murder, Kirton’s girlfriend was in a local store in Mount Vernon when Rose brushed up against her. She returned to her apartment and told Kirton what happened. Kirton, armed with a folding knife, immediately went to the store and confronted Rose on the sidewalk outside the establishment.
Security camera video captured Kirton at the scene, where he stabbed Rose in the left side of the neck with enough force that the knife crossed his throat and severed his right carotid artery, resulting in his death. The knife, with Rose’s DNA present, was later located in Kirton’s girlfriend’s apartment.
The case was before Judge George Fufidio.
Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Strongin, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Major Case Bureau, prosecuted the case.
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Media contact:
Dan Weiller, Director of Communications
(914) 995-3586
dweiller@westchesterda.net
