Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
Mark Kerrigan, 45, has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge of Massachusetts manslaughter. Mark is the brother of figure skating champion Nancy Kerrigan. Their dad, 70-year-old Daniel, died following an altercation with Mark at their Stoneham residence. The Kerrigans are adamant that Mark should not be blamed for his father’s death. They say that he should never have been indicted, and they want him to come home.
Mark’s Boston criminal defense lawyer says that Daniel died not because of his argument with his son but because he was having heart problems. The elder Kerrigan had clogged arteries and high blood pressure.
Prosecutors, however, claim otherwise. They say that Mark flew into a drunken fury during a dispute with his dad about using the telephone. They are accusing the 45-year-old of pushing his father, fracturing the elderly Kerrigan’s larynx, and causing him to fall onto his ground. A state medical examiner declared “cardiac dysrhythmia” as Daniel’s cause of death.
While prosecutors worry that releasing Mark into the care of Brenda Kerrigan, his mom, would endanger her, his Boston manslaughter attorney calls the concern “absurd” and an obvious effort to “poison public opinion” against her client. Mark’s Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer also contends that Daniel’s fractured larynix may have been a pre-existing injury rather than as a result of their dispute. She also expressed concern that her client was being portrayed as a violent alcoholic.
Mark, an unemployed plumber, has a criminal record involving convictions for assault and battery, drunk driving, a restraining order violation, resisting arrest, and domestic assaults. He was also being treated for post-traumatic stress syndrome and received psychiatric help.
Kerrigan returns home to mother, Boston.com, April 10, 2010
Kerrigan brother pleads not guilty to manslaughter, AP, April 9, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Nancy Kerrigan’s Father Dead, Brother Arrested, ABC News, January 25, 2010
The General Laws of Massachusetts
Although a lesser criminal charge than murder, manslaughter is still a very serious criminal offense. It is important that you speak with a Boston manslaughter defense law firm to explore your legal options.
