SMETHPORT – A Kane woman who stabbed her boyfriend in the back
in April during a domestic dispute was sentenced Thursday in McKean
County Court to serve 10 to 23 months of incarceration.
“We’re very lucky this is not much more serious than it was,”
said Assistant District Attorney Christa Schott prior to Danielle
Gullifer’s sentencing.
Gullifer, 19, of Kane, had pleaded guilty to aggravated assault
with intent to cause serious bodily injury. A charge of attempted
homicide was dismissed earlier this month in consideration of her
plea.
Gullifer was given credit for 210 days of time served. She will
be permitted to serve the rest of her sentence on house arrest if
McKean County Children and Youth Service says she does not present
a danger to her child, ruled Judge John Yoder.
Public Defender Ron Langella, Gullifer’s attorney, explained the
stabbing occurred when Gullifer, who was 18 at the time, was
arguing with her 17-year-old boyfriend. The boyfriend wanted to
leave her and take the couple’s child, Langella said.
According to court records, Gullifer obtained a kitchen knife
and stabbed him in the back. The male was seriously injured.
“You could just as easily have been standing in front of me on a
charge of murder instead of aggravated assault,” Yoder said to
Gullifer prior to imposing her sentence. “Luckily for you, the
victim did not die.”
He explained there were several reasons for the mitigated
sentence. The victim’s family had expressed that they did not want
Gullifer sent to state prison.
“Their concern was that the child be able to continue contact
with both parents,” Schott explained.
Yoder also explained Gullifer had mental health problems, had no
prior criminal record and that she is a single mother with an
8-month-old child.
Langella explained that a psychiatric evaluation of Gullifer
determined that she was not as risk to re-offend with similar
behavior, as the assault had come from a “state of crisis.”
“The man she loved wanted to leave her and take their daughter,”
Langella said.
Gullifer was also ordered to submit a DNA sample to the state
DNA database and databank maintained by the state police.
