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Man pleads not guilty in Lancaster death

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[Main image] Jack in the Box parking lot where the incident took place. [Inset L to R] Suspect Manuel Berryman and victim Frank Borsotti.
LANCASTER – A Kern County man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a murder charge stemming from the death of a man who was found gravely wounded in the parking lot of a Lancaster fast-food restaurant earlier this year.

Manuel Berryman of California City, 39, is charged in the Jan. 3 death of Frank Borsotti, who was discovered outside a Jack in the Box restaurant in the 43600 block of 10th Street West.

Sheriff’s deputies were sent around 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 3, to the parking lot of the restaurant to investigate a report of an assault, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“Upon the deputies’ arrival, they found the victim on the ground suffering from obvious trauma,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s department.

Borsotti, a 61-year-old Lancaster resident, died about five hours later at a hospital. His cause of death was blunt force head trauma, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

Berryman was initially described by the sheriff’s department as being wanted for questioning. He was charged Feb. 13 with Borsotti’s killing, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

He turned himself over to the sheriff’s department about noon Feb. 19. He has remained behind bars since then in lieu of $2 million bail, jail records show.

Berryman is due back in a Lancaster courtroom May 21 for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.

Previous related stories:

Suspect arrested in Lancaster homicide

California City man wanted for questioning in deadly assault in Lancaster

Authorities identify man killed in Lancaster assault

Man killed in suspected assault in Lancaster

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9 comments for "Man pleads not guilty in Lancaster death"

  1. This is my husband who was killed he did nothing wrong. He was blocked in by the murder and refused to move there was no reason for him to hit my husband

  2. It doesn’t matter the reason he had no right to take some ones life like that. He is guilty

    • Parked in the back area of a Jack in the Box, late at night. The presence of food wrappers or not, will tell what went down here.

      • It was during the day in the front parking lot. It’s on video. Who knows why it all happened though.

          • It only goes to show the simplicity of evilness. Being in the right doesn’t put a forcefield around a person. Carry pepper spray or something. Stay armed and polite.