Defense attorneys for WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka agreed on Wednesday to bypass a preliminary hearing on charges that he murdered his girlfriend, Nancy Argentino, after a WWE TV taping in 1983. Snuka’s lawyer had previously questioned his client’s competency to stand trial, but his health has improved. Snuka’s camp agreed to skip a preliminary hearing if they were given access to grand jury transcripts, which were described as being “worth their weight in gold.”
Via Lehigh Valley Live:
Snuka did not make any statements Wednesday, but [defense attorney Robert] Kirwan said the death of Argentino was “simply an unfortunate accident … not murder.”
Speaking with the media, Kirwan also said the following: “Mr. Snuka, if his health continue to deteriorate, he’d like to leave this world knowing that he’s an innocent man, not whatever you think he’s guilty.” That seems like an odd way to phrase it, doesn’t it? If he’s innocent, wouldn’t he already be leaving the world knowing he’s innocent?
Defense attorney Robert Kirwan on #SuperflySnuka's health pic.twitter.com/wigeAZhvVn
— Sarah Cassi (@SarahCassi) October 7, 2015
Snuka still needs to officially be arraigned on his charges before a trial can begin. Those charges are third degree murder and a lesser included charge of involuntary manslaughter. Argentino reportedly died from a fall where she hit her head on “an object” on the way down, and Snuka’s version of the story has changed repeatedly over the past 30+ years. Some versions include him shoving her, despite the “unfortunate accident” claims. The initial investigation was abandoned after two weeks. In 1985, Argentino’s parents won a $500,000 default judgment against Snuka, which he has reportedly never paid.
Snuka has already been removed from the WWE’s Hall of Fame and website.
