Ohio man charged with murder after repeatedly kicking stepbrother in testicle resulting in gangrene infection

An Ohio man has been charged with murder after he allegedly kicked his stepbrother in the testicles multiple times leading to a gangrene infection which killed him almost a month later. Jackie Pierce was indicted this week on charges of murder, felonious assault and robbery pertaining to the death of Willie Cannon, 64, in 2013.

Prosecutors allege that Pierce, from Cleveland, repeatedly kicked his stepbrother in the testicles after demanding money from him at his niece's birthday party on May 11, 2013. He is also alleged to have taken money from Cannon's pockets after the assault.

Cannon died in June 8, 2013 at MetroHealth hospital in Ohio after one of his testicles ruptured and he contracted the painful infection. The 58-year-old Pierce is currently still at large after being summoned for arraignment on 27 April this year at the Cuyahoga County Court in Cleveland.

Family members of the pair believe that Pierce is innocent. Speaking to the Daily Mail Cannon's stepbrother, said that the pair were at a family party together and Pierce had left the party before the incident took place.

Jonnie Hart said Pierce and Cannon were close friends: "They grew up together and were like two peas in a pod. They hung out all the time. Everyone who knows them, knows that Jackie didn't do it.

"Jackie had already left the party with his friend when Willie got hurt so there is no way he did anything. Jackie has been inside too but not for nothing violent and he wouldn't do anything like that because he didn't want to go back inside."

According to the 60-year-old Pierce's whereabouts are unknown by the family. And media relations director for City of Cleveland, in Ohio, Dan Williams, defended the huge time lapse between the incident and the charges: "It took two years to piece everything together and to get enough information to seek an indictment. We didn't have enough information to bring forward the charges until March and so that is what the gap in the investigation is."