Domestic dispute over toothbrush results in serious injury

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

EASTHAMPTON — A city man was ordered held without bail Tuesday pending a dangerousness hearing this morning after he allegedly bit part of his boyfriend’s ear off during a dispute over a toothbrush.

Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Bryan L. Clarke, 19, of 15 Summer St., Apt. 2, held on charges of mayhem and assault and battery until this morning’s hearing because the victim was still being treated at Cooley Dickinson Hospital at the time of his arraignment.

According to police, at 9:32 a.m. officer Tammy Kaleta responded to Summer Street for a reported domestic dispute and found the victim on the front lawn holding a bloody shirt to the side of his head. The man reportedly told police that Clarke had punched him in the face several times before biting part of his ear off because his toothbrush was missing and he couldn’t brush his teeth.

The victim, also 19, told police he and Clarke had been in a relationship for two years and that Clarke was planning to see a doctor this week because he feared he suffered from bipolar disorder.

A search of the couple’s apartment, police said, revealed two marijuana plants and several smoking apparatus, which were confiscated for destruction, according to court documents.

Police later found Clarke in another apartment in the complex, where he reportedly admitted to biting and punching his boyfriend and told Kaleta that the dried blood on his hand wasn’t his but was ‘from when he bit Campbell’s ear off,’ according to court documents.

During Clarke’s arraignment Tuesday, his lawyer appealed to Goggins to have him released until today’s hearing because he had no prior criminal record and the victim could not be reached and was absent from court.

However, after looking over a police report including Clarke’s admission and viewing photos of the injuries, he deemed there was sufficient evidence to hold him.

The victim was treated for his injuries and released Tuesday night, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com