Judge tosses murder charge in Pa. punch death

BEAVER, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania judge has thrown out a murder charge in a case involving the death of a man who hit his head on a concrete curb after being punched outside a bar.

Beaver County President Judge Richard McBride dismissed the third-degree murder charge against 41-year-old Raymond Ball following closing arguments in his trial Tuesday.

The Beaver County Times reports a jury will consider only an involuntary manslaughter charge against Ball in the death of 62-year-old Richard Littell.

Investigators say Ball punched Littell during a fight outside a Beaver Falls bar on July 15 then left the area. Littell died a few days later.

Defense attorney Stephen Colafella says Ball didn’t know Littell was badly hurt.