Man Faces New Charges When Victim Dies After 9-Year Coma
A man who punched a high school classmate in the face nearly nine years ago was arraigned on involuntary manslaughter charges Thursday after the comatose victim died.
Desmon Venn, 26, was ordered held on $250,000 bail and could get up to 15 years in prison in the death of Zuhair “Steven” Pattah.
Pattah died at age 25 on Jan. 7 of complications from head injuries.
Venn punched Pattah during a melee at West Bloomfield High School in 1994. Pattah fell backward and hit his head on the pavement, severing his brain stem. Venn pleaded guilty at the time to misdemeanor aggravated assault and was sentenced to two months in boot camp and probation.
Defense attorney Elbert Hatchett said he would seek dismissal of the charge on grounds that the statute of limitations had expired and that Venn cannot be prosecuted twice for the same crime.
“We’re going to have a significant argument over some legal issues, not the least of which is the double jeopardy issue,” he said.
Prosecutors disputed both arguments, saying Pattah’s death constitutes a new crime.
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