Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 12/21/07

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

MURDER CHARGES FILED IN SANTA ROSA STABBING OF BENJAMIN FLORIANI

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that earlier this week his office filed charges of murder in the death of Benjamin Floriani who was stabbed to death in the early morning hours of Saturday December 15, 2007. The defendants, Matthew O’Day, Alex Hopper, Donald Bittner, and Noah Minuskin were at a party at 722 Blair Place in Santa Rosa when the stabbing occurred.

The defendants will next appear in court to enter a plea on December 28, 2007 in Department 10 at 8:30 a.m.

All of the defendants have been charged with murder and assault likely to cause great bodily injury, except Minuskin who is charged as an accessory to the murder.