A Rhode Island man accused of fighting with a New England Patriots fan, who later died, during a game at Gillette Stadium in September faced a judge in Massachusetts Friday morning.
John Vieria, 59, of Warwick, was charged with assault and battery as well as disorderly conduct for his alleged involvement in the fight. He pleaded not guilty at the hearing in a packed Wrentham District Court.
The judge ordered Vieria to stay away from Gillette Stadium, the witnesses who saw the Sept. 17 fight and the family of the man who died, 53-year-old Dale Mooney, from Newmarket, New Hampshire.
While 11 witnesses say Vieria throwing the punch in the fight, which was caught on 12 different camera angles, authorities say Mooney who initiated the altercation.
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The cause of Mooney's death was an irregular heartbeat that came about because he had severe hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Vieria is due back in court Feb. 26. He is one of two people facing charges in connection to Mooney's death. The other is 39-year-old Justin Mitchell, also of Warwick.
Mitchell’s court appearance is next Friday.
