A U.S. Marine pleaded not guilty to assault charges Monday after prosecutors said he beat his parents over the weekend in Colchester.
Charles W. Blount, 31, was released on conditions, including that he not make contact with his family and that he undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He is charged with one count of aggravated assault and one charge of simple assault. Court papers indicate Blount has no prior criminal record in Vermont.
When Colchester police arrived at the Blount home after a 911 call just before midnight Friday, they saw through a window that Blount was assaulting his bloodied mother, according to court papers. Police kicked in the door and subdued Blount after a brief struggle.
The inside of the house was strewn with broken furniture and blood was spattered on the walls of the kitchen, hallway and living room, police said, according to court papers. Blount's father, Edmon Blount, was found bloodied and nearly unconscious on a couch, the court papers indicated.
The court papers gave no indication of a motive for the alleged assault. The mother, Margaret Blount, told police that she, her husband and son visited and drank martinis before Margaret Blount went to bed. She was awakened by the sound of her husband and son arguing. Soon, Margaret Blount told police, Charles Blount was hitting her husband, and then struck her, according to the court papers.
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