BOSTON, Oct. 20, 2016— A Quincy man has been sentenced to prison after he admitted to fatally stabbing 31-year-old Gerald Williamson during a fight outside a Dorchester restaurant two years ago, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

EDGARDO CLARK (D.O.B. 5/25/85) pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter during his appearance today in Suffolk Superior Court.  Judge Christine Roach sentenced Clark to 16 to 18 years in state prison.

Clark in 2014 was indicted for first-degree murder.  Today’s plea comes after a Suffolk Superior Court jury earlier this year was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, leading to a mistrial.

Had the case proceeded to a second trial, ADA Ian Polumbaum would have presented evidence to prove that Williamson and Clark were strangers when Clark started a verbal altercation with the victim inside a Bowdoin Street Chinese takeout restaurant on the evening of Oct. 16, 2014.  The argument appeared to be over, until Williamson bumped Clark while leaving the restaurant.  The evidence showed that Clark followed Williamson outside and a fistfight ensued.  When Williamson appeared to gain the upper hand in the fight, Clark pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck, causing him to bleed to death.

Clark surrendered himself to Boston Police four days later on Oct. 20, 2014, after homicide investigators identified him as the assailant through witness statements and images captured by security cameras.  Clark testified at the trial and admitted stabbing Williamson but claimed to have acted in self-defense.

Eliana Builes was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Clark was represented by Brad Bailey.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.