Man Sentenced for Killing Neighbor in Dispute Over Pet Birds

A man convicted in the stabbing death of his neighbor after they argued over the victim's pet birds has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Camden County prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence for David Giordano. But the judge imposed the lesser sentence Wednesday, noting the 65-year-old Voorhees man had no previous criminal history and that the man he stabbed had threatened to kill him.

Giordano was convicted of aggravated manslaughter in the June 2012 stabbing of 52-year-old Michael Taylor. But the jury acquitted him on a murder count.

Giordano lived in a condominium unit above Taylor, who kept his birds on his porch. Prosecutors say Giordano poured water on the birds because they were chirping too loudly.

Giordano then repeatedly stabbed Taylor with a knife when Taylor confronted him. Taylor died from his injuries nearly three weeks later.