SACRAMENTO–A local man has been convicted by a Sacramento County jury for stabbing a woman more than 30 times with a screwdriver.
On Tuesday, April 28, Francois Poitier Givens, 61, was found guilty of felony corporal injury on a former cohabitant with use of a deadly weapon, and felony assault with a deadly weapon, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office news release. The jury also found that Givens had a prior strike under California’s Three Strikes law.
Authorities said Givens and his victim dated in 2013 and 2014. While they had separated from living together in mid-2013, they continued to see each other. It was on June 25, 2014 that they were at Givens’ apartment when he reportedly became angry. The victim later said she saw Givens carrying a screwdriver, and felt threatened. When she tried to call for help, he knocked the phone out of her hand and proceeded to stab her 32 times.
The woman was able to escape partially clothed and bleeding from a number of wounds to her face, behind her ears, and in her stomach, arms and back. The apartment manager called 911 when she heard the woman screaming for help.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Givens had prior convictions for felony corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant with use of a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury and driving under the influence.
Givens faces a maximum potential sentence of 14 years in state prison. Sentencing is set to begin May 22 at 9:00 a.m. before Sacramento Superior County Judge Ernest Sawtelle.
UPDATE 6/22/15: The Sacramento County District Attorney’s office announced that Francois Givens was sentenced to 14 years in prison as expected.
