Judge ups bond for Bridgeport resident accused of stabbing brother at mall

BRIDGEPORT — A city resident accused of repeatedly stabbing his younger brother outside the Trumbull Mall had recently been treated for mental health issues, his lawyer said Monday.

Jovanie Hall, 18, of Bridgeport, who is charged with first-degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon and second-degree breach of peace, was ordered held in lieu of $500,000 bond by Superior Court Judge Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.

Hall showed no emotion as he stood before the judge Monday afternoon.

His lawyer, assistant public defender Dennis Salzbrunn, told the judge his client has a history of mental health issues and recently received treatment for them. He did not elaborate.

“This was an incident between two siblings and was mental health related,” Salzbrunn said.

Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney James Rotondo urged the judge to set a high bond for Hall.

“The victim suffered very serious injuries,” the prosecutor said.

“This was a brutal and unprovoked assault that was alleged to have occurred. There very well may be mental health concerns here, but the safety of the community is also of concern,” the judge said. She continued the case to March 1.

Around 8 p.m. Saturday, Trumbull police said officers in the mall were approached by a witness who told them someone was in the food court who had been stabbed.

Police said officers found the 16-year-old victim sitting slumped over without a shirt. They said he had three stab wounds in his back and four stab wounds in his left arm and was having difficulty breathing.

The victim told officers that his brother had stabbed him for no reason, police said. He was taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in serious condition with a collapsed lung.

Police said the victim’s twin brother told officers they had called Hall to give them a ride home from the mall.

They were walking toward the older brother’s car in the parking lot when police said the defendant began stabbing his younger brother.

After being stabbed, the victim managed to run back into the mall, police said.

Police said the twin brother got into the car with Hall who drove off. They drove onto the Merritt Parkway where police said the defendant threw the knife out the window of the car. Police said the weapon was described as a folding pocketknife.

Police said the defendant’s family told them that Hall had recently been hearing voices and had been treated at the hospital. He told family members he had stabbed his brother because he believed his sibling was friends with someone who had previously shot at his car, police said.

Family members declined comment outside the Golden Hill Street courthouse on Monday.

Ned Gerard/Hearst Conn. Media Jovanie Hall, 18, of Bridgeport, appears in Superior Court in Bridgeport. Hall was arraigned Monday for allegedly stabbing his 16-year-old brother at the Trumbull mall on Saturday.