Tragedy And Arrest Hits Nancy Kerrigan's Family

The family of former Olympic great, Nancy Kerrigan, was hit with a terrible tragedy this weekend, as a fight over a telephone by Kerrigan's brother and father resulted in serious injuries and death for the dad, and a heart attack and arrest of the brother. Some news reports claim that Mark Kerrigan was drunk and wanted to use the kitchen phone, which the father denied. Then a fight broke out where the 70 year old father was graped by the neck and knocked to the ground unconscious. Although, there was a faint pulse, he later died at the hospital.

Mark Kerrigan was arrested on a charge of assaulting an elderly person. Today he pleaded not guilty to the charge in an arraignment hearing. His lawyer claims that Mark Kerrigan suffers from symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder after some military service time. Mark Kerrigan had also been living in the Kerrigan's parent's basement after another violent episode where he was charged with assault and battery.

Nancy Kerrigan also became a crime victim figure back in 1994 when the husband of Tonya Harding and two associates deliberately injured her knee with a police club to keep her out of the Olympics. But Kerrigan was still able to win a silver medal at the Olympics despite the assault, turning in a nearly perfect performance.