Cops: Man swallows cousin's ear lobe during fight

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Police in Stamford say a city man bit off his cousin's ear lobe and swallowed it during a fight over loud music.

Officers charged 27-year-old Emilio Mendoza with first-degree assault and other crimes early Monday morning in connection with the attack on his cousin, 29-year-old Ruiz Clemente-Perez.

Clemente-Perez told police that he asked Mendoza to turn down his loud music because he had to work in the morning, but Mendoza started punching him in the head instead. During the brawl, Mendoza allegedly bit off part of Clemente-Perez's left ear and swallowed it.

Officers say Clemente-Perez was bleeding and missing part of his ear when they arrived. He also suffered a broken nose and fractured eye socket.

Mendoza is detained on $100,000 bail. It's not clear if he has a lawyer.