ALBANY - Anthony Harden, 30, of Troy, was found guilty after a jury trial of three counts of assault in the first degree, a violent felony.  Harden faces up to 25 years in prison for each of the three counts when sentenced on April 1, 2010.

On September 19, 2009, at approximately 6:00 PM, on State Street in the City of Albany, a group of seven friends was walking home from Larkfest. The group included an Army soldier, and six University at Albany students, including the soldier’s wife and twin brother. As the group crossed Henry Johnson Boulevard at State Street adjacent to Washington Park, Harden was the passenger in a vehicle driving out of the park. Because the soldier’s wife was still in the intersection, the vehicle had to make an abrupt stop. There was an exchange of words and the groups appeared to separate and go on their way.

A few moments later, Harden got out of the vehicle, took off his shirt, and pursued the group over 90 yards up State Street where Harden confronted the group and punched the soldier, breaking his nose. Despite pleas from the victims to leave them alone, a struggle ensued which led to HARDEN brandishing a knife and eviscerating the soldier, stabbing his twin brother in the trachea, and stabbing another male victim in the abdomen.

One of the other students captured the defendant in a photograph running at him with a knife. During the altercation, Harden exclaimed, “I live for this, this is what I do!”