By Pamela Lehman, Of The Morning Call 9:20 p.m. EST, November 20, 2013 Lehigh County authorities on Wednesday filed involuntary manslaughter charges against an Emmaus man in the fatal beating of a 70-year-old borough man who died in August. The men shared an apartment, authorities said, but did not offer details on their relationship. Alexander O. Roscioli, 22, of the 300 block of South Broom Street surrendered to authorities on Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter, according to a news release from District Attorney Jim Martin. Authorities said Roscioli repeatedly punched and kicked John Sweeney Sr. in the early morning hours of Aug. 30 at their apartment in the 300 block of South Broom Street. Sweeney died the day after the attack, authorities said, and his death was ruled a homicide. Roscioli told police the fight began after the elderly man had struck him with a plastic hockey stick, according to court records. At his arraignment before District Judge Jacob Hammond on Wednesday afternoon, Roscioli answered yes, sir and no, sir to Hammonds questions. At the hearing conducted via video, Roscioli sat quietly with his hands cuffed in front of him. Roscioli is in Lehigh County Prison under $750,000 bail. Coroner Scott Grim recently ruled Sweeneys death a homicide. Neither Sweeneys nor Rosciolis family could be reached for comment Wednesday. According to court records: Around 2:40 a.m. Aug. 30, Emmaus police were called to the South Broom Street home for a report of an elderly male who had been assaulted, was bleeding and unresponsive. When officers arrived, they said Roscioli said he was in a verbal argument and then a physical fight with Sweeney. Roscioli told police he had punched and kicked Sweeney multiple times after Sweeney struck him with the hockey stick. Sweeney was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital and listed in critical condition, then died the following day. A forensic pathologist determined Sweeneys cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Sweeney had a skull fracture , broken ribs , a cerebral hemorrhage and other injuries. According to Sweeneys obituary, he worked as a bookkeeper and accountant for Allentown State Hospital for 20 years and retired in 2006. Court records show Roscioli had pleaded guilty to two underage drinking charges in both Bethlehem and Emmaus in 2009 and 2010. Roscioli had also pleaded guilty to public drunkenness, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct charges, court records state. Read more: mcall/news/breaking/mc-emmaus-fatal-beating-arrest-20131120,0,5109622.story#ixzz2lHRytIPM Follow us: @mcall on Twitter | mcall.lv on Facebook
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 19:50:45 +0000
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