Brothers Charged in Brutal Bat Beating Accused of Threatening to Kill Others

Two Shelby Township with a bat were charged Monday on counts of threatening to kill the victim's family and employees. 

Giuseppe D'Anna, 58, and Girolamo D'Anna, 46, were arraigned on witness intimidation and extortion charges before Judge Douglas Shepherd in 41A District Court. Giuseppe D'Anna of Washington Township owns on Schoenherr near 23 Mile. They both stood mute to the charges.

They are accused of attacking Pietro Ventimiglia, the owner of nearby , because they didn't want him to expand his business, police said.

"Your honor, threats were made on the victim by the defendants on the case to kill his family here, his family in Italy. They also made threats to the business, I believe, regarding employees," Shelby Township Police Lt. Stan Muszynski said.

The preliminary exam for attempted murder charges was adjourned, pending lab results on evidence like DNA from the baseball bat. The bat is alleged to have been found in a car owned by Girolamo D'Anna, of Macomb Township, according to his Clinton Township-based lawyer Vincenzo Manzella.

Well-known defense lawyer James Thomas, who represented former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, said on behalf of his client, Giuseppe D'Anna, "It's our position that a bat was not involved."

When asked whether his client was involved in the attack without using a weapon, Thomas said, "I suggest this was a family dispute and we can leave it at that."

The suspects and victim are not related, but may have distant family members in common through marriage, Manzella said.

Thomas said he also wants to see medical records from the attack.

William Cataldo, chief of the homicide division for the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, told the judge any DNA possibly recovered from evidence should be back within 45 days.

The brothers face up to life in prison if convicted of the felony charges, including attempted murder for the April 28 attack at Nonna's Kitchen. They continued to be free on previously posted $25,000 cash/surety bonds but were ordered Monday to relinquish their passports to police. Their lawyers said they are not a flight-risk.

Further information came to light after the proceedings regarding their relationship with the victim.

Manzella said, despite previous reports, his client does not own Tirami Su with his brother. Rather, Girolamo D'Anna used to work as a builder, but in recent years has sold advertisements in a glossy booklet called "The Corner." Among his clients, Manzella says, is Nonna's Kitchen, as well as Tirami Su.

A preliminary exam was rescheduled for July 7.