The week ends as it began: With news of a man biting another man's face. The latest in the recent string of truly disturbing crimes involves a Staten Island man who is accused of taking a bite out of another man's ear during a fight Wednesday. The problem reportedly started when Nicholas Cacace, 35, began arguing with a woman over what was playing on the TV in the diner they were both frequenting. The woman's friend, Thomas Tomasello, 52, then got involved—and when Cacace went outside to smoke, Tomasello allegedly followed him, started punching him, and bit off part of his left ear.
Both men were initially charged, but police are no longer pursuing charges against Cacace after surveillance video showed he didn't start the fight. He was still in the hospital as of yesterday, Staten Island Live reports, and Tomasello was arraigned yesterday on charges of second- and third-degree assault and then released on bail. (More Nicholas Cacace stories.)