Nancy Kerrigan's Brother Found Guilty of Assault and Battery

Mark Kerrigan, 45, older brother of figure skating champion Nancy Kerrigan, 41, was found guilty today by a Massachusetts jury of assault and battery in connection with the death of his elderly father.  He was found not guilty, however, on the more serious manslaughter charge.

"The defendant is now properly held accountable for assaulting and beating his elderly father during an incident that we believe resulted in the victim's premature death," District Attorney Gerry Leone said.

"We will continue to protect and speak on behalf of those with no voice, like Daniel Kerrigan, and we commend the jury for their careful and contemplative deliberation to this matter."

According to authorities, Mark was living with his parents when the Stoneham police received a 911 call last January 23rd, 2010, reporting an altercation between Mark and a female. His father Daniel came home to calm his son down, but after the police left, Mark reportedly consumed large amounts of hard alcohol and began to repeatedly argue with his parents, who wouldn't allow him to use the telephone to call the female. After getting in a heated argument with Daniel, the situation escalated into a violent physical altercation when according to authorities, Mark "pushed, grabbed and shoved" the 70-year-old victim. He then reportedly forcibly grabbed his father around the neck, causing him to fall to the kitchen floor onto his back, unconscious.

Though emergency transporters arrived and transported Daniel to the hospital after his mother called 911, he was pronounced dead an hour later. After an investigation and autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, it was determined that Daniel Kerrigan died from cardiac dysrhythmia triggered during a violent physical altercation that resulted in a compression fracture to his left larynx.

Mark Kerrigan will be sentenced tomorrow at 9 am at Woburn Superior Court in Massachusetts.