PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Court documents indicate a Portland man accused of killing a neighbor told police he had a blackout and didn’t remember fighting with him.
The Portland Press Herald reports that 62-year-old Everett Meserve pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance on Monday. He was originally charged with elevated aggravated assault, but the charge was upgraded to murder after the victim died days later.
Documents didn’t shed much light on why Meserve allegedly attacked 63-year-old Rodney Cleveland in his home on Aug. 3. Cleveland died on Sept. 15.
The documents indicate Meserve was taken to the police station after Cleveland was found beaten and officers noticed dried blood on Meserve’s face, fingers and pants. An autopsy concluded that the victim died from blunt force trauma to the head.
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