Father of Slain Infant Is Convicted in Unrelated Killing

Six months ago, William Manciano listened as Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Judith Ashmann sentenced a baby-sitter to prison for killing his 18-month-old daughter. Friday, Manciano stood before the same judge, but this time it was he who was ordered to prison.

Manciano, 26, of Reseda was sentenced to three years in prison for stabbing a man to death during a fight Dec. 23.

The computer programmer and rock musician, who got media attention after his daughter’s murder, pleaded guilty earlier this month to manslaughter in the death of Andreas Sotiropoulos, 22, whom he stabbed during a melee involving several men outside a restaurant on Sherman Way.

Before the sentencing, Manciano’s attorney, Michael A. Gottlieb, cited the tragedy in his client’s family and asked Ashmann to place Manciano on probation. Gottlieb also said Manciano did not intend to kill Sotiropoulos, but was coming to the defense of a friend who was fighting with the victim.

“There was no intention to harm or kill anyone,” Gottlieb said. “The last year and a half of Mr. Manciano’s life has been wrought with tragedy.”

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeffrey Scott Gootman called for a prison term. “This is a tragedy,” Gootman said. “But we still have a body. . . . I think that state prison is appropriate.” Ashmann agreed and sentenced Manciano to the low term of three years for manslaughter.

Manciano’s daughter died on June 9, 1989. The girl, Jasmine Lynn Sanders, had been dropped off with baby-sitter Nova Marcia Thompson. The toddler was fatally injured when she was shaken and scalded in hot water because she would not eat.

Thompson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced by Ashmann on Nov. 8, 1990, to 15 years to life in prison.