Posted on 12/17/2008 3:05:28 PM PST by #1CTYankee
His shirt stained with blood from stab wounds inflicted on him by a man whose car he mistook for his own, Jeffrey Bradley nodded his head toward his girlfriend but said nothing when he faced Judge Cara Eschuk on Tuesday in Bantam Superior Court.
Bradley's bond was reduced from $50,000 to $1,000, an amount he posted after pledging not to break any more laws or drink.
Torrington police are still unraveling the events that prompted Bradley to spar with 72-year-old Edward Kittle Jr., of Torrington, in the parking lot of the Burger King on Torrington's East Main Street on Monday afternoon. Late Tuesday, based on interviews with witnesses who portrayed Kittle as acting, at least to some extent, in self-defense, police dropped assault charges against Kittle and charged him only with interfering with police and breach of peace. Kittle is free on $100,000 bond awaiting arraignment next week.
Bradley, 47, of Avon and New Hampshire, is charged with third-degree assault of an elderly person and breach of peace.
Bradley had been drinking heavily when he stopped at the fast food restaurant to grab a bite to eat, according to police and eyewitness testimony.
"He probably did that because he had been drinking and wanted to put food in his stomach," Bradley's girlfriend, Ronda Noel of Torrington, said following Tuesday's hearing.
Noel said she was waiting for Bradley to pick her up so they could go out for dinner.
"He is happy when he drinks," Noel said. "He must have been provoked."
According to police, Bradley mistook the car he got into for his own rental vehicle. He plunked himself into the driver's seat of Kittle's car and demanded to know what Kittle was doing in the passenger's seat. The driver, 39-year-old Cheryl Beecher, of 35 Schibi St. in Torrington, had just stepped out. She was later charged with drunken driving. Kittle also has a history of arrest for drunken driving.
The two men sparred verbally, and Bradley then began punching Kittle, of 17 Fox Run, who suffered bruises. Kittle unfolded a pocket knife and stabbed Bradley nine times. None of the wounds proved life threatening.
When police arrived, Bradley insisted Kittle's Hyundai Tiburon was his, but the key he produced didn't work. It did work on a Mazda parked nearby, documents state. Both of the vehicles were black.
The father of two children he supports with savings, Bradley has been unemployed for two years and suffers from medical problems, his attorney, Larry Peck, said.
He has a history of three convictions for drunken driving and has substance abuse issues, according to court documents. His case was continued.
"Drink, go to Burger King."
The medicine, mainly, sounds like.
“He probably did that because he had been drinking and wanted to put food in his stomach,” Bradley’s girlfriend, Ronda Noel of Torrington, said following Tuesday’s hearing.
third-degree assault of an elderly personHappy Gilmore ping -- "who won that fight anyway?"
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