Holbrook man convicted of killing homeless man

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A Holbrook man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for stabbing a homeless man 46 times.

Scott Steadman was convicted of first-degree murder Thursday in Norfolk Superior Court following a two-week trial.

Prosecutors say the 48-year-old Steadman attacked 49-year-old Ronald Pratt in a wooded area of Weymouth where Pratt lived in a tent in July 2009. Pratt suffered stab wounds to his neck, lungs, liver and spine.

Authorities say the two men had fought earlier and Steadman returned with a knife.

Although the murder weapon was never recovered, Pratt's blood was found on Steadman's sneakers.

The Enterprise (http://bit.ly/XppMNm ) reports that Steadman's lawyer said witness testimony was unreliable because everyone was too drunk to remember what happened and some evidence pointed to another suspect.

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Information from: The (Brockton, Mass.) Enterprise, http://www.enterprisenews.com