A Mercer County grand jury returned an indictment this week charging a 51-year-old man with aggravated manslaughter for an assault that took place in February at the Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported.
According to authorities, Dwayne Hester, 51, was charged with second-degree aggravated assault by the New Jersey State Police on Feb. 22nd. He is accused of striking Daniel Rodriguez in the head with a closed fist on February 13th while both were patients at Ann Klein. Rodriguez was knocked to the ground and he hit his head on the floor, causing a cranial fracture and brain hemorrhaging.
Officials say Rodriguez died on March 20th as a result of his injuries.
Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Matos on July 26th presented the case to a grand jury, which returned an indictment charging Hester with one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter.
Despite having been indicted, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.