Man Arrested for Biting Girlfriend in Forehead

A Mandan, North Dakota man has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend by biting her in the forehead. He was recently released from prison after being convicted of manslaughter in the death of his wife.

Jerome Morsette, 33, has been charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor. His bond was set at $20,000 cash. The high bond resulted from the fact that he had been previously convicted of assault.

Mr. Morsette was charged with murder in July, 1998 for allegedly killing his wife, LeAnn Morsette. He was seen pushing or kicking her from a moving pickup truck. Mrs. Morsette died from the fall. He pled guilty in February, 1999 to a reduced charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to ten years in prison. According to Burleigh County Assistant State's Attorney Pamela Nesvig, Mr. Morsette was released in February, 2007.

Lt. Dan Donlin with the Bismarck Police Department told KXMB of Bismarck, North Dakota that a 33-year-old Mandan woman had called the police May 3rd, 2007 to report that she had been assaulted by her live-in boyfriend, Mr. Morsette. She told police that the couple had gone to do laundry at a friend's house in Bismarck and had gotten into an argument.

Mr. Morsette's alleged crimes have two things in common. He had been drinking both before the domestic dispute that resulted in this charge and before he reportedly pushed his wife from their truck. In addition, both charges stemmed from arguments with women that turned violent. There is no speculation on how those elements will play when the case comes to trial or how they will affect his sentencing, should he be found guilty.