Stamford man gets 9 years in prison on 5 separate charges

STAMFORD — A Stamford man with a history of violent and menacing behavior was sentenced to nine years in prison Tuesday in state Superior Court for a series of assaults including slashing a man outside a liquor store.

Denzel Byrd, 33, told Judge Alex Hernandez, “I just want to apologize” before he was sentenced to the prison term, displaying no emotion when the judge announced the penalty.

Before the sentencing, Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Laurence Tamaccio gave a rundown of the five arrests that will send Byrd to prison for nine years. All the arrests resulted in guilty pleas; Tamaccio said there were multiple victims.

In July 2020, Byrd slashed a man with a knife outside a Stamford liquor store, resulting in a second-degree assault charge.

In February 2021 in Bridgeport, he attempted to break into a home and made threatening remarks to police officers, resulting in charges of breach of peace, threatening and interfering with an officer.

In April 2021, he attempted to steal money from a Stamford bank, displaying a hammer, before leaving the branch without money, resulting in charge of attempted robbery and carrying a dangerous weapon.

In November 2022, he struck a woman with a baseball bat and was charged with second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon. He was able to post bond on those charges.

In May 2023, he punched a man so hard he broke his jaw and was charged with second-degree assault and a felony count of violating a protective order. Bail was set at $150,000 after that arrest, and unable to post it, he has been in a state lock-up since then.

On Tuesday, Tamaccio cited the report and said Byrd “continues to remain a danger to himself and others.”

A presentencing report stated Byrd had demonstrated violent behavior on multiple occasions and was regular user of PCP, or phencyclidine, a street drug that causes mind-altering effects and impulsive behavior.

Court authorities stated that Byrd had mental health problems and police reports indicated he told officers on several occasion he believed he was a “super hero.” Tamaccio said he was seeking a 10-year prison sentence.

Byrd was represented by two lawyers, Darnell Crosland and Anthony DePanfilis.

Crosland said he knew Byrd and his family personally, and Byrd once helped out doing office chores at his law firm. The defense lawyer said Byrd had a son and had worked to be a good father: “he’s a loving father to his son.” He said mental health issues and substance abuse were problems that Byrd had not overcome.

“He accepted responsibility” for his actions, the defense lawyer said. “He’s struggling. He needs help.”

“The solution is not to put him away for as long as possible,” Crosland continued. “I would hate to have him go away for 10 years.”

Crosland asked for a four-year prison sentence.

Hernandez ran through the legal concepts that factor into sentencing goals, including the promotion of respect for the law, just punishment for serious offenses, deterrence, community safety and rehabilitation for the defendant.

After “careful consideration,” the judge said he believed the safety of the public was a prime consideration and issued a 20-year-sentence suspended after nine year prisons and five years of probation.

“The defendant is a serial violent offender. He has consistently ignored his need for mental health treatment,” the judge said: His continual use of PCP “made him extremely dangerous to the public.”

Crosland said that his client had been incarcerated for roughly 10 months already. The judge said the 10 months would be deducted from the nine-year sentence.

Byrd, wearing beige and gray prison clothes, was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

“I just want to apologize.” Denzel Byrd, 33, of Stamford. tells Judge Alex Hernandez before sentencing