BRONX, N.Y. — Charges were dropped Wednesday against a 61-year-old Bronx man accused of beating to death a man who allegedly attempted to rape his wife, according to the district attorney’s office.
PIX 11 reports Mamadou Diallo was facing manslaughter charges in the May death of 43-year-old Earl Nash, who was accused of attacking Diallo’s wife, ripping her clothing and attempting to rape her inside her Bronx home.
“This case was a tragedy for all whose lives intersected in that Bronx building,” District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement. “We waited for three months for the autopsy results, and after a thorough investigation as well as discussions with the deceased’s family we have determined that no grand jury action is warranted.”
Diallo was first released on his own recognizance within days of the incident. Several people disagreed with his arrest, and he was greeted by applause when he left the jail.
Nash was accused of forcing his way into Diallo’s apartment, where he allegedly attempted to rape the 51-yera-old woman.
She managed to call Diallo and fight off Nash, according to police.
The men then faced off in the apartment’s sixth-floor hallway, and Diallo, armed with a metal pipe, is then accused of beating Nash to death.
“Diallo’s wife was brutally assaulted in her home by Earl Nash,” Clark said. “Diallo rushed to save her and struck Nash with a tire iron as he tried to escape.”
Nash suffered blunt force trauma to his head, torso and upper extremities, and was determined to be suffering from acute cocaine intoxication, hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at the time of his death, the medical examiner determined.
His cause of death was ruled a homicide, because the medical examiner found it was caused by the actions of another person, the DA said.
Although police on scene initially said it was unclear if Diallo would be arrested, prosecutors later said he faced charges because the beating occurred after the woman’s attack.
On Wednesday, representatives of the Nash family sent a statement to the DA in support of dropping charges against Diallo:
“We truly believe that both the Nash and the Diallo family have suffered a great deal of pain … While we cannot undo the damage that was done that evening, we hope to bring some closure not only to our family but to the Diallo family as well.”
