Kaitlynn Berman, a Bronx mother, experienced intense distress, including vomiting, upon learning that Christopher Joseph, the man who stabbed her 22 times, would receive an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence. The attack occurred in March 2025 with Berman's young daughter in an adjacent room.
Joseph, 23, was sentenced in Bronx Supreme Court on Wednesday. Outside the courthouse, Bishop Boyde Singletary, a supporter of Berman, voiced dissatisfaction with the sentence, stating, “This man, this monster, Christopher Joseph, should be doing 22 years to life — one year for each stabbing. No remorse, no anything.” He added that Berman was “not satisfied, so overwhelmed that she threw up.”
According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, Joseph attacked Berman without warning, inflicting approximately 22 stab wounds to her face, neck, hands, and abdomen. The violence occurred when Joseph, the boyfriend of a friend whose cat Berman was pet-sitting, entered her apartment. He claimed his girlfriend had permitted him to have sex with Berman, and when she refused, the assault began.
During the attack, Joseph also slashed Berman's throat and face before stealing her cell phone and $5,700 in cash. He was apprehended shortly after the incident at a nearby subway station, reportedly covered in blood.
Berman spent 48 days hospitalized, undergoing three surgeries and receiving multiple blood transfusions. Supporters argue that the sentence is insufficient given the permanent injuries Berman sustained, including PTSD and nerve damage. "Her life is never the same," Singletary stated.
In court, Berman delivered a 15-minute victim impact statement, telling Joseph, “You failed to take my life, and you won’t take away my future.” Joseph reportedly showed little reaction and declined to address the court.
Joseph had been released on bail in December 2025 after his defense successfully argued for his release. Prosecutors had sought a 10-year sentence, while the defense advocated for a shorter term. Joseph pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder in September, agreeing to the eight-and-a-half-year sentence. Bronx Supreme Court Justice Timothy Lewis also mandated five years of post-release supervision and issued an order of protection for Berman.
Berman's supporters intend to challenge the sentence and are in contact with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. "We refuse to allow Kaitlyn’s suffering to be overlooked," Singletary posted on Instagram. "We refuse to allow her family to feel abandoned. We will continue demanding accountability and a serious review of this sentence. EIGHT YEARS IS NOT THE OUTCOME WE BELIEVE JUSTICE DEMANDS. WE WANT THIS SENTENCE CHALLENGED, REVIEWED, AND RECONSIDERED!"