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Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka passes away


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WWE Hall of Famer "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka was arrested this morning at his New Jersey home and will be charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend more than 32 years ago.

Snuka was arraigned at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Lehigh County Central Booking Center. He was sent to county jail under $100,000 bail.

Earlier this month, Snuka's wife revealed that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Back on May 10th, 1983, Snuka wrestled on a WWE TV taping from the Allentown Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. When he got back to his hotel room, he alleged that he found Nancy Argentino gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her nose and mouth. She died the following day from traumatic brain injures. She also had a number of cuts and bruises which suggested domestic abuse.

The autopsy report stated her injuries were consistent with being hit with a “stationary object.” The forensic pathologist suggested that the case be invested as a homicide, but no charges were filed until today.

An investigation was reopened last year when Pennsylvania's Morning Call newspaper published an in-depth story on the alleged murder, which led to a grand jury investigation that ultimately resulted in Snuka being charged.

http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/news/breaking-update-jimmy-snuka-arrested-charged-with-murder

Para quem desconhece a história (retirado do wiki)

On May 10, 1983, a few hours after Snuka had performed at a WWF TV taping at the Lehigh County Agricultural Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Snuka placed a call for an ambulance. When emergency personnel arrived at Snuka's room at the George Washington Motor Lodge, they found that Snuka’s girlfriend, Nancy Argentino, had been injured. She was transported to Allentown's Sacred Heart Medical Center, where she died shortly after of "undetermined craniocerebral injuries." The coroner's report stated that Argentino, 23, died of traumatic brain injuries consistent with a moving head striking a stationary object. Autopsy findings show Argentino suffered more than two dozen cuts and bruises — a possible sign of "mate abuse" — on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs and feet. Forensic pathologist Isidore Mihalakis, who performed the autopsy, wrote at the time that the case should be investigated as a homicide until proven otherwise. Deputy Lehigh County coroner Wayne Snyder later said, "Upon viewing the body and speaking to the pathologist, I immediately suspected foul play and so notified the district attorney."[74]

Snuka was the only suspect involved in the subsequent investigation. Although charges were never pressed against Snuka, the case was left officially open. In 1985, Argentino’s parents won a $500,000 default judgment against Snuka in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, PA. Snuka appears not to have ever paid, claiming financial inability to do so.[75] On June 28, 2013, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin announced that the still-open case would be reviewed by his staff.[74] On January 28, 2014, Martin announced that the case had been turned over to a grand jury

Já agora uma última nota:

In August 2015, Snuka's wife, Carole, announced that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. As a result, he had surgery to remove his lymph nodes, part of his stomach and all apparent cancer. She said they both expect he will fully recover after "a long road ahead".

Mais um a ter o tratamento ala Krispen Wah e Hull Cogan.

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Ex-wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka unfit for murder trial due to head blows, court hears

Former professional wrestler Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka suffered so many blows to the head during his long career that he now suffers dementia and is mentally incompetent to stand trial in the death of his girlfriend more than three decades ago, a psychologist testified on Friday.

Snuka’s severe mental impairment also stems from a history of abusing alcohol and cocaine, Dr Frank Dattilio said at the wrestling star’s competency hearing.

Snuka was charged with murder and involuntary manslaughter in 2015 in the 1983 death of 23-year-old Nancy Argentino, from New York. Snuka’s lawyer asserts he doesn’t understand the charges or even know he was arrested.

Lehigh county judge Kelly Banach, after hearing from prosecution and defense experts, will decide if Snuka is competent to stand trial.

Snuka, who was in the courtroom for Friday’s hearing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail. His attorney, Robert Kirwan II, has called Argentino’s death an “unfortunate accident”.

Dattilio, testifying for the defense on Friday, said he had a “hell of a time” trying to get even basic background information from Snuka. The psychologist said Snuka could not assist in his own defense and quoted one of Snuka’s doctors as saying he’s a “shell of a man”.

“This is permanent damage, and he’s not likely to be restored to competence,” Dattilio said.

He recounted an infamous televised scene from 1984 in which another wrestler, Roddy Piper, broke a coconut over Snuka’s head. He said one side of the coconut had been shaved down so that it would easily break, but Piper inadvertently used the hard side on Snuka’s skull.

The hearing was adjourned until Wednesday, when a prosecution expert will testify.

Prosecutors assert Snuka is well enough to stand trial. During cross-examination on Friday, they played a video that showed him in the ring as recently as 2015 – even doing his trademark move, the Superfly splash, albeit from the second turnbuckle instead of the top.

Another video showed him giving an interview recently in which he appeared lucid and in character.

The wrestler had been at a World Wrestling Federation taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds, and he told police shortly after Argentino’s death that he had returned to their Whitehall Township hotel room to find her unresponsive in bed. She was pronounced dead at a hospital several hours later.

An autopsy determined she died of traumatic brain injuries and had more than three dozen cuts and bruises, and it concluded her injuries were consistent with being hit with a stationary object. But the case went cold, and Snuka continued his high-profile pro wrestling career.

After a 2013 story by the Morning Call newspaper raised questions about the case, Argentino’s sisters approached Lehigh county district attorney Jim Martin, who reopened the investigation.

A grand jury report said Snuka, a Fiji native who lives in Waterford Township, New Jersey, had provided more than half a dozen shifting accounts of Argentino’s injuries, at first telling paramedics he hit her during an argument outside their hotel room and she struck her head on concrete, then saying to police she slipped and fell during a bathroom break on their way to the hotel.

The grand jury also said it heard evidence that Snuka beat Argentino four months before her death and repeatedly assaulted his wife, Sharon Snuka, in the fall of 1993. Snuka has long maintained his innocence.

Snuka was known for diving from the ropes in a career that spanned four decades. He was admitted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1996, according to the organization’s website.

in http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/14/ex-wrestler-jimmy-superfly-snuka-unfit-for-trial-due-to-head-blows-court-hears?CMP=twt_gu

 

 

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  • EdgeHead changed the title to Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka passes away
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WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka passes away

WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka has passed away.

Snuka is regarded by many as the pioneer of high-flying offense because of his Superfly Splash from the top turnbuckle. His dive off the top of the steel cage onto Don Muraco at Madison Square Garden as hundreds of flash bulbs went off will forever live as one of the most memorable moments in WWE history.

WWE extends its condolences to Snuka’s family, friends and fans.

in http://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-hall-of-famer-jimmy-superfly-snuka-passes-away 

 

 

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