The two men arrested in the fatal beating of a bouncer at a Guyanese bar in Queens, New York over the weekend no longer face manslaughter charges, prosecutors said on Monday, according to the New York Daily News.
Elsworth “Dale” Reid, 43, was trying to break up a fight inside Johnny’s Restaurant and Bar in Ozone Park on Saturday, when a group of customers attacked him and beat him, even after he hit the ground and stopped breathing, according to cops.
Police arrested Deonarine Deoraj, 31, of Richmond Hill, and Harrydatt Nandalall, 48, of Ozone Park, and initially charged them with manslaughter. But on Monday, prosecutors only slapped them with misdemeanor riot and attempted assault charges — punishable by up to a year in jail.
The criminal complaint against them, according to the report, said they both struck Reid in the head and knocked him to the ground.
Kevin Ryan, a spokesman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, said that prosecutors are waiting for Reid’s autopsy results before they can determine if Nandalall and Deoraj will face more serious charges.
Both Deoraj and Nandalall were ordered held on US$10,000 bond or US$5,000 cash bail.
