Two suspects charged with gang assault were in court Friday for an attack that left a Bronx father brain dead.
Families for both defendants were inside the courtroom.
Police say about six people were involved in a brawl that was captured on surveillance video around 4:20 a.m. Sunday in front of Parrilla Latina, a Latin-American restaurant on Broadway.
Witnesses say the victim had some sort of argument with a woman before the attack.
It is now known that there was a birthday party at the Kingsbridge bar where the fight took place. News 12 is told that the brother of a woman celebrating her birthday turned himself in after seeing video of the fight., and that man is now one of three total charged in the incident.
According to police, 22-year-old Jenny Gutierrez and 23-year-old Joel Hernandez are both charged with gang assault in the first and second degree.
The defense argued that 23-year-old Hector Quezada, who was arrested and charged with gang assault earlier this week, started the fight and that Gutierrez and Hernandez were not involved.
"The victim gets into a dispute, the victim goes down and it is Quezada a lone who engages in any kicking," the defense said.
The victim, 36-year-old Donell Soto, was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition. Family members tell News 12 he was pronounced brain dead on Tuesday and are now faced with a difficult decision.
Both of the defendants are first-time offenders. The judge has set their bail at $1 million and has said that both of the defendants are not allowed to come in communication with the victim or his family.