Bayna El-Amin was sentenced to nine years in prison on Thursday (15 September) for the brutal the attack on Jonathan Snipes and his then-boyfriend Ethan York-Adams.

Shocking video of the men being hit over the heads with a chair during a violent argument at Dallas BBQ located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan went viral in 2015.

A New York State Supreme Court jury found El-Amin guilty of attempted assault in the first degree, and assault in the second degree back in May.

The difficult to watch attack (video below) shows the brawl that broke out between Snipes and York-Adams and Bayna El-Amin.

The video was taken by radio personality and entertainment correspondent Isaam Sharef who wrote at the time: ‘Horrible attack in bbqs as i waited for my chicken and shrimp combo and apple martini.’

El-Amin remained at-large after the attack but eventually turned himself in. He later revealed that he too is gay and that he was merely trying to protect himself.

But the jury didn’t buy that explanation and neither did Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arlene Goldberg.

Goldberg said before imposing sentence: ‘The jury rejected your claim of self-defense. That you did not cause serious physical injury to them was only a matter of luck.’

El-Amin has his defenders including those who believe he was prosecuted because the victims are white and he is black.

The judge addressed that view at the sentencing.

”I know that you want to cast this, your supporters as well, as an issue about race. I don’t see it that way,’ Goldberg said.

‘When you picked up that chair that was a criminal act that cannot be excused.’