STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As jurors assigned to the Carlos Rivera manslaughter trial begin their deliberations on Monday, there are two things they’ll have to consider.
The first is whether it was Rivera’s knife that ended up in the heart of Joel Badillo, 41, of Stapleton, on the afternoon of June 17, 2024. Or did Badillo unintentionally stab himself with his own knife as the two men fought in the street?
If jurors decide it was Rivera’s knife that killed Badillo, the next question is whether the violent scene that afternoon on a commercial block on Broad Street was an act of self-defense.
Rivera, also a Stapleton resident, is facing charges of first-degree manslaughter, criminal possession of a knife and tampering with evidence. The top count alone carries a sentence ranging from eight years to 25 years in prison, given the defendant’s criminal record.
‘I realize this sounds a little crazy’
Defendant Carlos Rivera of Stapleton is shown during opening arguments on Nov.7, 2025.Steve White for the Advance/SILive.com
Defense attorney Christina Paliogiannis presented photos of the two knives collected by NYPD at the scene, while proposing that Badillo might have stabbed himself in the fracas as he was raining down blows on the defendant.
She pointed to the autopsy report, which indicated a puncture wound of four to five inches, but no sign of bruising from the top of a knife’s handle which often is the case in stabbings.
Badillo’s knife, the defense pointed out, did not have a prominent handle or “hilt,” while Rivera’s knife did.
“I realize this sounds a little crazy,” said Paliogiannis in introducing the theory. “But I want you to watch this moment.”
At one point during the fight, which Paliogiannis presented to the jury as a freeze-framed image, it appeared Badillo’s own knife could have made contact with his torso.
Both knives used in the fight were recovered at the scene by responding police, but forensics were unable to clearly determine which knife entered Badillo, according to trial testimony by law enforcement.
“The question isn’t ‘did he actually stab himself?’“ said Paliogiannis.
”The question you have to answer is, ‘have they proven to you beyond all reasonable doubt that it was Carlos’ knife?’”
‘Use common sense’: Prosecution
The prosecution, in countering the argument, also freeze-framed an image to present in summations.
In their image, Rivera is in a seated position on the street when he swings his knife up toward Badillo, appearing to make contact or nearly make contact with Badillo’s chest.
“You can see it for yourself right here in the video,” said Assistant District Attorney Arda Ozdinc. “Look at it with your own eyes and use common sense.”
Self-defense or manslaughter?
Police investigators survey the scene of the fatal stabbing on June 17, 2024, near Broad and Gordon streets in Stapleton.Scott R. Axelrod
A series of surveillance videos viewed by the jury show a verbal altercation between the two men, followed by two fights that occurred minutes apart.
Rivera did not elaborate on what was said during the argument, but said he was shocked when Badillo drew a knife on him during the first dust-up.
“I know his kids, he knew my kids. I was angry that someone I knew so long just disregarded our relationship,” Rivera testified.
Rivera — who stands about 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds — said he was trying to walk away from the first fight when he heard Badillo calling people and saying things like “one way or another this ends today.”
Rivera said whoever Badillo was calling was likely dangerous, based on what he said was Badillo’s involvement with gangs. And that he saw Badillo using Facetime to show someone what he was wearing.
Rivera said he didn’t know where people were coming from, and he was scared if he ran toward his house nearby he would run into them. So, he felt attacking Badillo with a knife was the best way to end the threat.
“Did Joel know where you lived?” asked Paliogiannis.
“Yes,” replied Rivera.
Rivera was seen in the video approaching Badillo and swinging a knife at him. But he missed, and Badillo got the better of him. The video showed Badillo then standing over Rivera in the street, raining down blows and puncture wounds with his own knife. Rivera was on his back, swinging his knife wildly.
Badillo then backed off, walked slowly about 25 feet and collapsed in front of a deli near Broad and Gordon streets. The video showed Rivera holding a stab wound on his thigh as he approached Badillo.
“I went to try to see what was wrong,” said Rivera, as he turned his head away from the video showing Badillo’s collapse to the pavement.
When asked about the knife he was carrying that day, Rivera said he took it everywhere for protection because he lived in a dangerous neighborhood. “We all carry knives for protection, myself included,” he said.
Finally, Paliogiannis asked what was going through his head during the second and final altercation as Badillo was punching, stabbing and kicking him.
“I just wanted it to stop,” said Rivera. “I had plans that day, I just wanted to see my kids.”
‘You chose to fight’ 
Assistant District Attorney Arda Ozdinc worked to discredit the defense’s evidence Thursday in the ongoing Carlos Rivera manslaughter trial, while cross-examining their expert witness.(Steve White for the Advance/SILive.com)
Prosecutors have argued that if Rivera was scared of Badillo, he had the opportunity to run home rather than cross back over the street to fight him.
During cross examination Friday, Ozdinc pointed to the moment Rivera crossed back over the street and swung a knife at Badillo, rather than walking in a different direction.
“So you chose to fight?” questioned Ozdinc.
“At this particular moment, yes,” replied Rivera, who insisted it was the best choice to avoid being hunted down by Badillo’s friends.
Ozdinc then froze a portion of the video as the second fight was unfolding. “Would you say you were in an aggressive stance there?” he asked.
After a brief pause, Rivera replied, “Yes.”
“And Joel is in a defensive stance?” asked Ozdinc, who took a firm tone with the defendant throughout.
“Yes,” replied Rivera.
“Were you mad you had just lost a fight?” poked Ozdinc, referring to the first fight down the block.
“It wasn’t a fight, he stabbed me,” said Rivera.
Once friends from similar backgrounds
Closing arguments were held Monday in the 2024 manslaughter case of Carlos Rivera, who is represented at trial by the Legal Aid Society, including defense attorney Christina Paliogiannis, pictured right. (Steve White for the Advance/SILive.com)
Both Rivera and Badillo have roots in Puerto Rico, but spent much of their lives in and around Stapleton. Both have large, seemingly tight-knit families.
On Facebook, Badillo’s mother at one point posted that God would provide justice for her son. Her feed was flooded with photos of children and grandchildren.
Moments after the fatal street fight, as police arrived, Badillo’s adult son arrived to the scene distraught. Police had to hold him back from the crime scene.
Rivera, 38, also has children.
On the witness stand Friday, he said he assumed many of the parenting responsibilities, including parent-teacher conferences. He said he was working at the time in construction and as a mechanic.
Friendship complicated by drugs, gangs
Rivera said he first met Badillo about 20 years ago, when they were both battling substance abuse and would use together.
In 2016, they were both convicted as part of a drug investigation on Staten Island dubbed “Operation Hit the Town.”
It was around that same time that Badillo and other co-defendants in the case were in a crowded holding cell, when they jumped a man and fractured his skull, according to Rivera’s testimony Friday.
Rivera — also known as “Shorty” among friends and neighbors in Stapleton — said Badillo told him about the assault weeks later, describing it as a gang initiation.
“They were trying to recruit me,” recalled Rivera. “I’ve never been into gangs.”
The two men had a falling out in 2022, which Rivera did not elaborate on. He testified that on the day of the stabbing, the disagreement was petty.
According to Rivera, he was walking with a friend that day on Broad Street, when the friend spotted Badillo and crossed the street to see him. Rivera claimed he was in a hurry and tried to pull their mutual friend away from the conversation, which angered Badillo.
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