Sophia Negroponte, daughter of former Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, was convicted Tuesday at Montgomery County Circuit Court, on second-degree murder charges related to a February 2020 stabbing in Rockville.
She faces up to 40 years in prison and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on March 31 at 9:30 a.m, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Negroponte’s long delayed trial began in early December, with opening statements provided in court on Dec. 9, according to Lauren DeMarco, director of public affairs at the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Negroponte, 29, from Washington, D.C., had earlier been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 24-year-old Yousuf Rasmussen in the 400 block of West Montgomery Ave. on Feb. 13, 2020, according to Montgomery County Police.
“Yousuf was a kind and gentle soul, a loving person who brought our family and his many friends great joy in his 24 years of life. We will carry him with us forever,” Rasmussen’s family said in an official statement.
Officials say Negroponte was drinking the night of the stabbing when she began arguing with Rasmussen.
Charging documents stated the two began wrestling on the floor of the Rockville apartment, which led to Negroponte grabbing a knife from a drawer and allegedly aiming it toward Rasmussen’s neck before she stabbed him, according to a witness statement.
Negroponte reportedly yelled, “I’m sorry,” while she lay on top of Rasmussen’s body after the stabbing, according to charging documents.
The impact of the pandemic delayed Negroponte’s trial. The court decided to go beyond the “Hicks Rule” trial deadline, which is typically 180 days after the defendant’s first court appearance.
