6-year sentence in Santa Rosa stabbing death

A Santa Rosa man was sentenced to six years in prison Wednesday for his role in a fight at a west Santa Rosa party where one man was killed and several others injured.

Alex Hopper, 21, agreed last year to admit to a manslaughter charge if prosecutors dropped a murder charge in the Dec. 15, 2007, death of Benjamin Floriani, 21, during an alcohol-fueled brawl at a party attended by dozens of teens and young adults.

Two others involved also agreed to plea deals in the case. Charges against a fourth man were dropped altogether.

On Wednesday, Judge Ken Gnoss accepted a deal negotiated between prosecutors and Hopper’s attorney for him to serve six years in prison, eliminating a one-year enhancement for the use of a knife. With credit for time already served, Hopper likely will be in custody for about 44 more months.

Two other men, Donald Bittner and Noah Minuskin, both 20, also agreed to admit their involvement.

Bittner is to be sentenced next week for assault, but prosecutor Craig Brooks said Bittner won’t receive any more time in custody than he served while the case was pending.

Minuskin pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor accessory charge and is serving probation.

He has filed a motion seeking a modification of his sentence that would allow him to visit Hopper in custody.

Investigators said young men from two groups of partygoers got into several arguments.

Several people were injured, at least four by knives, during several melees, according to testimony.

The defendants contend Floriani was killed as others tried to defend themselves during the fracas.

Witnesses testified that Floriani was carrying a gun that night and had threatened others earlier in the evening. No gun was recovered.

Police and witnesses described the party scene and stabbing aftermath as chaotic and confusing with young people running from the house, some even stepping over bloody victims. The investigation into who was responsible was hampered by uncooperative witnesses and statements from those who were too high or drunk to have remembered accurately.

After a lengthy preliminary hearing last summer during which several young witnesses recanted their statements to police or admitted lying, a judge threw out all charges against a fourth man and held Bittner over on lesser charges. He said there was evidence that Hopper was involved in some kind of attack involving Floriani.

Witnesses said Hopper had been in a verbal altercation with one of Floriani’s friends and that a man with similar appearance, dark skin with hair in a ponytail, fought and possibly stabbed another of Floriani’s friends during the melee.

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 568-5312 and lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com.