LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster city district judge watched a video Friday of a fatal beating that led to a 45-year-old man’s death. The video was presented as evidence during a preliminary hearing Friday morning.
At the conclusion of the hearing, District Judge Adam Witkonis ordered 22-year-old Dajour James face a criminal homicide charge in Lancaster County Court.
Charles Kronenberg IV died a day after being beaten outside his home in the 500 block of Poplar Street. He sustained a traumatic brain injury.
James is at Lancaster County Prison without bail. He was arrested in New Jersey two weeks after Lancaster city police Detective Kevin Fry filed charges.
On Friday, Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman played a video of the beating, recorded on a cellphone by a witness. In the video, Kronenberg is seen sitting on a stoop and is approached by a man, later identified as James. James picks up a beer can and beats Kronenberg in the head with it, knocking him over.
James then continues to kick and assault Kronenberg.
Kronenberg throws no blows in the video. Kronenberg and James exchanged words prior to the beating.
Fetterman also called Lancaster city police Officer Jonathan Caple and Detective Eric McCrady to testify at Friday’s hearing.
James, who recently lived in the same block of Poplar Street, is presumed innocent.
