Dozens of bar patrons watched as a man was beaten, rammed face-first through a window and then left to bleed to death on a sidewalk, but no one tried to stop the attackers from fleeing, police said.
Two men were arrested hours later and charged with murdering Randal B. Toler."This was an extremely grisly, forceful and unnecessary murder. This is the kind of case you see in large cities where three people were assaulting one victim," said Steven E. Roberts, the city's deputy police chief.
The bar's co-owner, Peter Tanguay, disputed the police version of what happened Wednesday.
Tanguay said people in the bar did not come outside until the fight was over and then tried to save Toler's life rather than catch his attackers.
Police arrested Michael Allen Tuck, 29, of Portland on Thursday, and a second Portland man, Steven Bennett, 26, turned himself in later that night.
Tuck and Bennett were held in the Cumberland County Jail. Tuck pleaded innocent at his arraignment Thursday. Bennett was to make an initial court appearance Friday.
Toler, 26, a former Portland resident who had returned a few days ago to visit a friend, was pronounced dead less than an hour after the assault.
Police said Toler and another man got into an argument in DeNan's bar with some patrons. The exchange spilled onto the street outside the bar.