Judge Furious as NYC Pizzeria Attacker Blames His Coma Victim [WATCH]

A man who brutally beat a Manhattan pizzeria manager into a coma nearly derailed his own plea deal during a heated sentencing hearing Thursday after launching into a courtroom rant that blamed the victim, prompting a sharp rebuke from the judge, as reported by The New York Post.

Tyshaun Watson, 36, appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree assault stemming from a violent attack inside Roma Pizza in the Flatiron District on Aug. 19, 2024.

The brute who beat a Manhattan pizzeria manager unconscious nearly derailed his own plea deal Thursday — when he brazenly started blaming the victim, infuriating the judge.

Tyshaun Watson, who had pleaded guilty in exchange for a promised 17-year prison sentence, launched into a… pic.twitter.com/asA73pnhqy

— Crime In NYC (@Crime_In_NYC) January 15, 2026

Watson had agreed to a plea deal that called for a 17-year prison sentence, avoiding a possible 25-year term prosecutors initially sought.

JUST IN: 50-year-old Manhattan pizzeria worker is fighting for his life after being brutally beaten and mauled by a customer and his pit bull during a fight over the dog being in the shop

Tyshaun Watson, 35, was charged with second-degree attempted murder and first-degree… pic.twitter.com/v0hioPw1nh

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) August 20, 2024

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During the hearing, however, Watson interrupted proceedings to claim he had been “provoked” before attacking pizzeria manager Zakaira El Sherief.

“I was being provoked… if you watch the video,” Watson said, prompting Judge Laura Ward to immediately cut him off.

“Maybe we should go to trial on this and let the jury decide,” Ward responded.

Watson continued insisting that surveillance footage supported his version of events, repeatedly asserting that the victim instigated the confrontation. Judge Ward warned Watson that pushing the issue could void the plea agreement.

“If we play the video, you’re going to trial and looking at 25 years,” the judge said before ordering the footage played in open court.

After reviewing the video, Ward directly contradicted Watson’s claims.

“You were the first one to go behind the counter. He did not come out to get you,” she said.

According to prosecutors and surveillance footage, Watson entered the pizzeria with his black pit bull unleashed, ordered two slices of pizza and a drink, and sat in the back of the restaurant.

El Sherief approached Watson multiple times and appeared to tell him that dogs were not allowed inside without a leash.

Watson later walked to the counter to collect his food, where an argument ensued. The footage shows Watson walking behind the counter, punching El Sherief, and wrestling him to the ground. As the two struggled, Watson’s dog joined the attack.

El Sherief managed to escape the store and attempted to block the doors, but Watson forced his way back outside and resumed the assault, tackling him to the pavement.

“The defendant stomped on the manager’s head, not once, but twice, as he laid unresponsive against the hard concrete,” Assistant District Attorney Nicole Borczyk told the court.

Prosecutors said the 47-year-old victim was left in a medically induced coma for two weeks and spent nearly two months hospitalized with multiple fractures and bleeding on the brain.

Authorities said El Sherief has since made what they described as a “miraculous recovery.”

During the assault, Watson was heard calling the victim a “f*cking b*tch,” prosecutors said. Watson later suggested alcohol played a role in the attack, noting that “whiskey played a part,” according to the judge.

After the footage was shown, Judge Ward gave Watson a final opportunity to accept the plea agreement.

Watson admitted that he “absolutely” threw the first punch and offered an apology to El Sherief, who was not present in court due to illness, prosecutors said.

Watson then complained that the 17-year sentence was “excessive,” arguing it was more appropriate for a homicide case, further aggravating the judge.

Judge Ward ultimately accepted the plea but issued a stern warning.

“Just so you know, I will use everything in my power whenever you come up for a parole review, to make sure that you stay in (prison) for the entire 17 years,” she said.

Watson’s attorney, Samantha Chorny, said outside court that her client had taken responsibility for the attack.

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