Tampa man fatally beaten over chicken foot

TAMPA, Florida (AP) — Police in Tampa say a man is facing manslaughter charges after he beat his roommate to death in a dispute over a chicken foot.

Authorities say 52-year-old James Jugo was arrested after the beating death of 56-year-old Benjamin Calderon on Saturday. The Tampa Bay Times reported Monday that the fight started after Calderon took the chicken foot from a skillet where Jugo was cooking.

An autopsy showed Calderon suffered internal bleeding after being hit numerous times on the face, neck and elsewhere. A witness told police that she saw Jugo hit Calderon with a board.

Jugo was jailed on US$15,000 bail. Court records did not indicate whether he had hired a lawyer.

Public records show Jugo has been arrested 19 times previously in Florida.