CINCINNATI — Eric Crutcher openly wept as a judge weighed his bond in Hamilton County Court Thursday.
Madison Crutcher, his dad, died Wednesday weeks after an assault where court documents say Eric caused "physical harm by striking him multiple times in the head."
Madison's brother Kenneth Crutcher and nephew Kenneth Crutcher Jr. mourned his loss from Lexington Thursday.
"He was a joy," Kenneth Jr. said. "He told stories. He always had you laughing. He always knew family history."
Court documents show the assault happened April 30 on President Drive, and Kenneth said Madison called him the following morning.
"I said, 'How many times did he hit you?' He said more than 20 times," Kenneth said. "More than 20 shots to the head, and he's a big boy. He said he tried to play possum, like he was knocked out."
The Crutchers believe that beating caused a brain bleed that went unnoticed until it was too late.
"He didn't realize he was bleeding internally," Kenneth said. "We knew about all the blood on the outside, in the truck and on the doors, but he didn't have no idea."
At Eric's arraignment, his defense attorney argued several factors should affect whether he should be held in jail on a lower bond than prosecutors requested.
First, the attorney argued Eric had turned himself in after his father's death, and, second, he argued there was a possibility Madison's death could be connected to his long battle with cancer.
"Mr. Crutcher has indicated to me that his father had some pretty significant health problems unrelated to anything that may have occurred back on April 30, judge," the attorney said. "Sounds like he may have had, again, some pre-existing conditions that were significantly affecting his health, and the expectation of life before any of this occurred judge."
Kenneth didn't buy the argument that cancer had killed his brother.
"My brother died because his son murdered him. OK? That's coming from his brother," he said.
Cincinnati homicide detectives said in court they were waiting on an autopsy report from the coroner before homicide charges could be brought against Eric. The judge ordered he be held on a $100,000 bond.
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