▁and ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁A ▁fourth ▁man , ▁Joseph ▁Ser rano , ▁was ▁conv icted ▁on ▁the ▁charge ▁of ▁un law fully ▁possess ing ▁a ▁weapon ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁ 3 0 0 ▁hours ▁of ▁community ▁service ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁The ▁acqu itt al ▁of ▁V ento ▁on ▁a ▁murder ▁charge , ▁and ▁the ▁light ▁sentence ▁handed ▁out ▁to ▁Ser rano , ▁spark ed ▁more ▁protest s ▁by ▁the ▁African - American ▁community ▁in ▁B enson h urst . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁before ▁that ▁march ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁begin ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁Al ▁Sh ar pton ▁was ▁st ab bed ▁and ▁seriously ▁wounded ▁by ▁Michael ▁Ric card i ▁in ▁a ▁B enson h urst ▁school yard . ▁Sh ar pton ▁later ▁recovered ▁from ▁his ▁w ounds . ▁Ric card i ▁was ▁conv icted ▁of ▁first - deg ree ▁assault ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁ 5 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁in ▁prison , ▁despite ▁a ▁ple a ▁for ▁len iency ▁by ▁Sh ar pton ▁himself , ▁who ▁believed ▁that ▁dist orted ▁news ▁coverage ▁of ▁his ▁activities ▁had ▁influenced ▁his ▁attack er . ▁ ▁Release ▁of ▁Mond ello ▁After ▁serving ▁eight ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Att ica ▁Cor re ction al ▁Fac ility , ▁Keith ▁Mond ello ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 9