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Man Accused of Beating Student into Coma Charged in Serbia
By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Mar 2, 2010
Modified Mar 2, 2010
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By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Mar 2, 2010
Modified Mar 2, 2010
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In Serbia, prosecutors have finally caught up with and charged the former Binghamton basketball player accused of beating a fellow student into a coma. In 2008 Miladin Kovacevic jumped bail and fled for his home country after getting into a fight with Brian Steinhauer at an upstate bar. The towering 23-year-old is accused of kicking the student, causing skull fractures and severe brain damage.
In addition to assault, he's now charged with using a fake passport—allegedly provided to him by Serbian diplomats—to leave the United States, reports the AP. For a time his home government refused to surrender the suspect, but now it's paid the victim's family $900,000 as part of a settlement to try him there. He could be imprisoned for ten years if convicted.
The case has strained U.S.-Serbian relations and elicited the involvement of many top officials including Hillary Clinton, who brokered the deal with Steinhauer's family, and Sen. Chuck Schumer. Recently two secondary assailants pleaded guilty to kicking Steinhauer alongside the Serb, and were sentenced to two years each.
Tagged
bar brawl
beating
binghamton
binghamton university
brain damage
brian steinhauer
brooklyn
coma
Miladin Kovacevic
serbia
Sabrina Jaszi
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