Minneapolis woman charged with biting off part of ex-boyfriend's ear

The defendant told police she acted in self-defense.

Star Tribune

Last update: April 22, 2009 - 8:40 PM

Prosecutors charged a 25-year-old Minneapolis woman Wednesday with assaulting her ex-boyfriend by biting off a piece of his ear.

Kimberly Michelle Massey admitted separating the man from his left ear lobe but claimed she did so in self-defense, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.

Massey was charged with third-degree assault, a felony, which police say happened April 9 in an apartment on East Grant Street in Minneapolis.

According to the complaint, police officers responding to an assault call found a man sitting in a chair, his left eye swollen and blood running down the left side of his face and neck.

"Officers also observed that [the victim] was missing the entire portion of his left ear," the complaint said.

At Hennepin County Medical Center, the victim told the officers that he was injured during a fight with Massey. "The defendant punched him several times and then bit off his ear lobe," the complaint said.

The building manager told police she heard screams coming from the apartment and saw the victim trying to push Massey away.

Massey left before police arrived, but was arrested Monday and was in custody.

LARRY OAKES