Lawyer Gets 6 Years For 2010 Christmas Day Assault

ST. PAUL (WCCO) -- A 44-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to six years and three months in prison for a 2010 Christmas Day assault.

Brian Louis Pitera, who is an attorney, was sentenced for one count of first-degree assault on a 65-year-old man, also his roommate, that occurred last Christmas in his St. Paul home.

Pitera pleaded guilty on Aug. 1.

According to a criminal complaint, the victim was living at Pitera's home, when Pitera assaulted him just after midnight on Dec. 25, 2010. After the assault, Pitera left the man unattended on his living room floor, where the victim's brother found him the next afternoon.

"This was an extremely serious and violent assault on an older man by a much younger defendant who failed to render assistance to the victim or call for help. In fact, he essentially left him for dead," County Attorney John Choi said.

The man was taken to Regions Hospital, with a collapsed lung, broken collarbone and several teeth knocked out.