Massachusetts

Teen Accused of Slamming Another Into Floor at Underage Drinking Party to Appear in Court

A Massachusetts teenager appeared in court Thursday, a year after he allegedly slammed a younger teen's head into a concrete floor, killing him.

Joseph Zagarella of Tewksbury was 18 when he was accused of killing 15-year-old Ethan Costello at a Lowell house party on Oct. 28, 2016.

Now 19, Zagarella was arraigned on manslaughter and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on Thursday.

Thomas Ogden, the 51-year-old owner of the Boylston Street home where the party took place, is also facing charges of giving alcohol to minors after investigators discovered more than 50 minors were at the party, some of whom were drunk.

Both men entered not guilty pleas.

Zagarella is accused of smashing Costello's head into a concrete floor in the garage where the teens were gathering.

"He never regained consciousness," the prosecution said when describing Costello's injuries. "When he went to the hospital, he died within a couple days and never regained consciousness."

Costello was injured in Oct. 28 and later died on Oct. 31 after his family decided to pull him off life support.

Last year, Zagarella faced lesser charges and posted $10,000 bail. He's since been placed with a GPS bracelet, only allowed to leave his home between 12 and 2 p.m. each day.

"He has been on virtual lockdown inside his home unable to go to school, unable to go to work," said Zagarella's attorney Keren Goldberg.

Thursday, both Zagarella and Ogden were released on their own recognizance.

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