Attorneys for the man accused of killing another man by throwing him down a flight of stairs in a Buffalo bar in May were in court Monday to request that charges be reduced from murder to manslaughter.The judge reserved a decision on the motion in a pre-trial hearing in State Supreme Court.
Jeffrey Basil, 36, has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.
William Sager Jr., 28, was thrown down a flight of stairs at Molly's Pub on Main Street causing a severe brain injury. He never regained consciousness and died several weeks after the incident.
Basil's defense attorneys say there was no intent to kill.
Judge Penny Wolfgang issued a subpoena for Buffalo police records regarding two off-duty Buffalo cops who were providing security at Molly's Pub in May.
Basil is also charged with evidence tampering in the removal of surveillance equipment from the bar. A trial is scheduled for early January.
