Jersey City felon stabbed in neck by wife after he attacked her with screwdriver, police say

Thursday, November 24, 2011, 5:04 PM
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal


Christopher "Budd" Cocca, of Jersey City, was stabbed in the neck by his wife after he attacked her with a screwdriver, according to police reports.
A Jersey City man with a violent history was stabbed Tuesday evening after allegedly beating his wife and attacking her with a screwdriver, officials said.

At 6:46 p.m. police found Christopher "Budd" Cocca, 33, of Martin Luther King Drive, lying on the floor of his apartment and bleeding heavily, reports said. He was charged with aggravated assault, burglary and weapons offenses, reports said.

Cocca's wife told police he phoned her asking for a jacket and she told him he could not come in but sent her cousin downstairs with it, reports said.

She said her cousin found Cocca had already gotten into the building and he then pushed his way into the apartment, reports said.

The wife told police Cocca began beating her, and when he came at her with the screwdriver she picked up a knife and stabbed him in the lower throat, reports said. Cocca stumbled toward the door where he collapsed and he was later listed in critical stable condition at the Jersey City Medical Center, reports said.

No charges were filed against the wife.

Cocca was in prison from Feb. 8, 2002 to Dec. 27, 2003, April 13, 2004 to Sept. 30, 2004 and Nov. 9, 2005 to Nov. 5, 2007 for drug distribution within 1,000 feet of a school and three counts of aggravated assault, corrections records say.