Vonelle Cook was angry about his service at a Dunkin' in Tampa last May, so the 77-year-old marched into the store, berated the manager and called him the n-word, according to police.
The manager, Corey Pujols, 27, is Black - and he told Cook not to say it again.
But Cook did anyway, so Pujols swung a right hook, hit Cook in the jaw and knocked the septuagenarian unconscious, causing him to fall and hit his head on the floor, according to an arrest affidavit.
Three days later, Cook was dead, according to court records obtained by WTVT.
Pujols was originally charged with aggravated manslaughter, a crime that carries a maximum of 30 years in prison. But on Monday, a judge sentenced Pujols to two years of house arrest followed by three years of probation, as well as 200 hours of community service, after Pujols pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony battery.
Attorneys listed for Pujols did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Tuesday, nor did the Hillsborough County state attorney's office.
Grayson Kamm, a spokesman for the office, told WTVT that the "outcome holds the defendant accountable while taking into account the totality of the circumstances - the aggressive approach and despicable racial slur used by the victim, along with the defendant's age, lack of criminal record, and lack of intent to cause the victim's death."
Around 1:30 p.m. on May 4, Cook was going through the drive-through at the doughnut shop when he became angry with the service, the Tampa Bay Times reported at the time. Cook was a regular there, and despite employees asking him to leave, Cook parked and started arguing with Pujols inside the store.
That is when he called Pujols the n-word twice, according to an arrest affidavit, and Pujols punched the man unconscious, causing him to fall, hit his head and bleed on the floor. Cook was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Tampa General Hospital and died there days later, according to the Times.
An autopsy found that the fall resulted in a skull fracture and brain contusions, WTVT reported. The death was ruled a homicide, and Pujols was arrested on the manslaughter charge.
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The manager, Corey Pujols, 27, is Black - and he told Cook not to say it again.
But Cook did anyway, so Pujols swung a right hook, hit Cook in the jaw and knocked the septuagenarian unconscious, causing him to fall and hit his head on the floor, according to an arrest affidavit.
Three days later, Cook was dead, according to court records obtained by WTVT.
Pujols was originally charged with aggravated manslaughter, a crime that carries a maximum of 30 years in prison. But on Monday, a judge sentenced Pujols to two years of house arrest followed by three years of probation, as well as 200 hours of community service, after Pujols pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony battery.
Attorneys listed for Pujols did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Tuesday, nor did the Hillsborough County state attorney's office.
Grayson Kamm, a spokesman for the office, told WTVT that the "outcome holds the defendant accountable while taking into account the totality of the circumstances - the aggressive approach and despicable racial slur used by the victim, along with the defendant's age, lack of criminal record, and lack of intent to cause the victim's death."
Around 1:30 p.m. on May 4, Cook was going through the drive-through at the doughnut shop when he became angry with the service, the Tampa Bay Times reported at the time. Cook was a regular there, and despite employees asking him to leave, Cook parked and started arguing with Pujols inside the store.
That is when he called Pujols the n-word twice, according to an arrest affidavit, and Pujols punched the man unconscious, causing him to fall, hit his head and bleed on the floor. Cook was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Tampa General Hospital and died there days later, according to the Times.
An autopsy found that the fall resulted in a skull fracture and brain contusions, WTVT reported. The death was ruled a homicide, and Pujols was arrested on the manslaughter charge.
A Dunkin' manager fatally punched a customer after being called the n-word. He was sentenced to house arrest.
Vonelle Cook was angry about his service at a Dunkin' in Tampa last May, so the...
A Dunkin' manager fatally punched a customer after being called the n…
archived 9 Mar 2022 19:19:29 UTC
