Tyrese Poulsen, 22, of Newport, pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday in connection with the fatal stabbing of Maximus Julian, also 22, of Little Compton. The plea was entered just moments before jury selection was set to begin in what would have been a high-profile murder trial.
Poulsen had initially faced a charge of second-degree murder stemming from the May 30, 2021, incident, which unfolded at a party on Thames Street. The victim, Julian, suffered fatal stab wounds to his neck and torso during a chaotic altercation, prosecutors said.
According to police reports, officers responding to the scene found Julian gravely injured in the area of Thames Street and Lee Avenue. A bloodied steak knife, later determined to contain Julian’s DNA, was recovered nearby. Witness accounts painted a harrowing picture: a physical altercation broke out at a VRBO rental property where the party was held, escalating when Poulsen reportedly retrieved the knife from the kitchen and stabbed Julian before fleeing.
Julian succumbed to his injuries on June 1, 2021, at Rhode Island Hospital. Poulsen turned himself in to Newport Police two days later.
Under a plea agreement negotiated between Poulsen’s defense attorneys, Angela Lawless and Noah Kilroy, and prosecutors, Poulsen was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with credit for time served since his arrest. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Eric Batista.
In a statement following the plea, Attorney General Peter Neronha condemned the senseless violence that led to Julian’s death. “This defendant chose to murder Maximus Julian over a petty fistfight, robbing this young man of a full life, for no discernable reason,” Neronha said. “I hope that this outcome demonstrates to those with violent inclinations that this type of flagrant disregard for human life will earn you decades in prison.”
Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy also expressed his condolences. “This kind of senseless violence will never be tolerated in our community,” he said. “My heart goes out to the victim’s family and friends, and I hope this sentence helps them find some semblance of peace.”
Julian, a business student in his final semester at the University of Rhode Island, was set to graduate with high honors. Outside of his academic achievements, he was a dedicated BMX rider, avid fisherman, and worked on a commercial fishing boat in Little Compton.
Described by loved ones as a bright and generous young man, Julian’s untimely death has left an indelible void in his family and community.
The plea marks the conclusion of the criminal case but offers little consolation to a family still mourning the loss of a promising life cut short.
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