Nancy Kerrigan's Brother Charged in Father's Death

The brother of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan has been charged with manslaughter in the Jan. 24th death of their father. Mark Kerrigan, 45, had already been charged with assault for the incident which is believed to have caused Daniel Kerrigan's death. The violent attack on the 70-year-old father reportedly started with an argument over the family telephone, which escalated out of control. According to the Boston Herald, Mark Kerrigan had been drinking that night and was in a "drunken rage". In announcing the indictment today, District Attorney Gerry Leone stated: "We allege that the defendant's violent reckless actions and complete disregard for his father's safety and well-being endangered Daniel Kerrigan's life and resulted in the substantial harm that led to his untimely death." (CBS News)

A state medical examiner determined the cause of death to be "cardiac dysrhythmia", which is the loss or interruption of a normal heartbeat. Autopsy findings also suggested that this condition was the result of neck compression, which damaged Daniel Kerrigan's windpipe.

Members of the Kerrigan family have insisted they do not blame Mark Kerrigan for the death of his father, who had a pre-existing heart condition.

Source: CBS News. Nancy Kerrigan's Brother Charged With Manslaughter. April 8th, 2010.
The Boston Herald. Mark Kerrigan faces manslaughter charge in dad's death. April 8th, 2010.