Pittsfield, MA – A Berkshire Superior Court jury found Walter Gadson guilty of multiple charges stemming from a violent 2023 stabbing that nearly claimed a man’s life, officials announced.
Gadson, 30, was convicted on August 5 of five charges, including assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault and battery, and violating an abuse prevention order. On August 22, Judge John Agostini also found him guilty of being a habitual criminal offender, which requires him to serve the full 15-year sentence for the stabbing conviction without the possibility of parole.
The charges originated in Pittsfield in October 2023 when Gadson took a woman’s car without permission. Weeks later, on November 28, Gadson confronted the same woman and a man she was with at a local bar. After being escorted outside, Gadson waited for the pair and slashed the man across the neck before grabbing the woman by the throat. The male victim was rushed to Berkshire Medical Center, where doctors confirmed he would likely have died without immediate treatment.
Gadson’s prior convictions include armed robbery and multiple assault charges in Massachusetts, as well as aggravated assault on a police officer in Georgia, where a warrant for violating parole remains active.
District Attorney Timothy Shugrue credited the courage of victims and witnesses along with the prosecution team for securing the conviction, stating that Gadson had instilled fear in those around him and posed a severe danger to the community.
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Key Points
- Walter Gadson was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a near-fatal stabbing in Pittsfield.
- He was also convicted as a habitual offender, eliminating parole eligibility.
- Gadson has prior felony convictions in Massachusetts and Georgia.
A violent repeat offender is now behind bars after a near-deadly attack in Pittsfield.