Man charged in Pa. stabbing rampage arraigned; court records say he admitted slayings
By APTuesday, June 29, 2010
Pa. stabbing suspect arraigned on homicide counts
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — An eastern Pennsylvania man accused in the stabbing deaths of four people has been released from the hospital and arraigned on homicide charges.
Michael Eric Ballard was sent to Northampton County Prison early Tuesday without bail. He’s charged with killing 39-year-old Denise Merhi, her father, her grandfather and a neighbor who tried to help when he heard screaming.
Police found Ballard after he crashed Merhi’s car shortly after the slayings Saturday in Northampton, about 70 miles north of Philadelphia. Records indicate he suffered a broken leg and knife wounds to his leg.
Court documents say Ballard admitted to the slayings and told his doctor that the knife slipped “while he was stabbing someone.”
Tuesday’s arraignment before a judge was a formality. Ballard was arraigned Sunday at his hospital bedside by a district magistrate.
