Nancy Kerrigan's Brother Sent For Mental Evaluation
Jan. 26 2010, Published 4:17 a.m. ET
Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan’s troubled brother Mark has been sent for a psychological evaluation after he was charged of assaulting his father who later died from a massive heart-attack.
A spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone in Massachusetts said Tuesday that Mark Kerrigan – who has been charged with assault and battery after fighting with his father Daniel, 70, at the family home – has been sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental check-up.
He pled not guilty Monday to assaulting his father, Daniel Kerrigan, at the family home in the Boston suburb of Stoneham.
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Family members say that Daniel Kerrigan died of a heart attack and that his death was unrelated to the argument he had with his 45-year-old son early Sunday - autopsy results are pending.
Mark Kerrigan's lawyer said in court that her client was on medication for post-traumatic stress and was seeing a psychiatrist.
Kerrigan had been living in his parents basement at the time of the fight and had a violent past.
Police had been called to the home of the unemployed 45-year-old plumber back in 2005 following a domestic disturbance call from his now ex-wife.
Kerrigan screamed at the armed cops “F****** shoot me, I want to die. Kill me please.” The officers who arrived at the scene managed to subdue Kerrigan at his Wilmington, Ma, home where they found household debris scattered all over the front yard.
Former Army veteran Kerrigan – who, his lawyer claims, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder – served a two year jail sentence on assault and drug charges stemming from the 2005 incident.
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His ex-wife Janet told authorities in court papers that he was ‘a mean drunk’ who would beat her, slash her tires and threaten her with a bow and arrow.
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After she was granted a divorce in 2007 based on her claim of ‘cruel and abusive treatment’ Kerrigan’s life continued to disintegrate.
His parents, Daniel and Brenda Kerrigan, who scooped one million from the state lottery in 2000, sued their son for $105,000 to cover his living expenses while he was in jail.
They claimed that their son agreed to re-pay the handout which included $31,870 in mortgage payments plus $6,746 in credit card payments failed and refused to make the full payment, the case was dismissed.
But things spilled over on Sunday morning when a violent fight broke out at the family home on Cedar Avenue in Stoneham, Ma, between Kerrigan and his 70-year-old father Daniel over phone use.
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The two men got into a violent struggle before Daniel collapsed on the floor and died from a subsequent heart attack.
In the police report Kerrigan – who had moved into his parents’ basement – told authorities that his dying father was ‘faking it’.