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Long Island Man Gets 18 Years After Slashing Woman's Throat

AUBURN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Long Island man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for nearly decapitating a 41-year-old woman during an attack in a central New York home.

Christopher Tessitore of Islip Terrace was sentenced Tuesday in Cayuga County Court in Auburn. He pleaded guilty in March to slashing Felicia Bowman's throat and stabbing her face and neck during the attack inside the home of her friend in Auburn on Feb. 20.

Tessitore told authorities that he attacked Bowman because she was yelling at him and his girlfriend for their drug use. Prosecutors say the two met at an in-patient drug rehabilitation center.

Bowman survived the attack, but she suffers from permanent damage to her face and neck. Prosecutors said she was minutes away from bleeding to death.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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