BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A Bennington man has been charged with manslaughter in the beating of a man who was found dead outside a downtown building last fall.
Joseph Cattani, 38, had been charged with aggravated assault against Christopher Sharby, 46, who died on Sept. 5. The new manslaughter charge was filed after the state medical examiner ruled last month that Sharby died after being struck in the head, the Bennington Banner reported. Alcohol intoxication also was cited as a contributing factor in Sharby’s death.
Cattani pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
Sharby’s death was caused by a combination of at least two incidents of blunt force trauma to his head, with the second one alleged to have been caused by Cattani the day before Sharby died, according to Dr. Elizabeth Bundock of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. It’s unknown how the older injury happened, but it likely took place three to four weeks before his death, she said, according to a police affidavit.
Cattani admitted kicking Sharby in the thigh and punching him in the face/chin area on Sept. 4 after he said Sharby put his hands on Cattani’s girlfriend in an “obscene manner,” a police affidavit states.
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