Rittenhouse Square stabbing suspect appears in court

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- A stabbing suspect faced a judge Wednesday, more than two weeks after a deadly altercation in Rittenhouse Square.

Prosecutors are describing this as a case of cold-blooded murder.

24-year-old Colin McGovern of Bucks County was allegedly stabbed to death by 40-year-old Steven Simminger of Media on Sunday, March 13th right around 3 a.m.

One of McGovern's friends, who took the stand Wednesday as a prosecution witness, says it started innocently as McGovern asked Simminger about the New Jersey Devils hat he was wearing.

PHOTOS: Scene of fatal stabbing on Rittenhouse Square

That led to some kind of misunderstanding but quickly turn violent.

McGovern, a 2009 graduate of Council Rock South High School, was stabbed in the stomach and pronounce dead a short time later at Hahnemann Hospital.

But the defense paints a different picture.

They say surveillance video, that was shown during Wednesday's hearing, shows Simminger backing away as McGovern initiated the attack. Defense attorney Gina Capuano says her client, a disabled Navy veteran with a prosthetic leg, was simply trying to defend himself.

Capuano says, "This isn't a case of some deranged person committing a stabbing. It's more of a case where - it's an unfortunate situation, it's a shame someone died - but based on what happens on the video, it's clear my client isn't the initial aggressor."

On Wednesday the judge ruled that the case will be held over for trial.

Simminger will be arraigned on April 20th.