Belmont Man Dies After Being Beaten Near Bar; Murder Charges Filed

The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office filed murder charges against 23-year-old Joseph Patrick Kaufman of San Carlos on Friday in the beating death of a man they say he argued with in a Belmont bar.

On Friday, the suspect, 23-year-old Joseph Patrick Kaufman of San Carlos appeared in San Mateo Superior Court to be formally charged in the death of Barney Hanepen, age 48.

Kaufman has entered a plea of not guilty.

Barney Hanepen, 48, was found uncounsious in the 800 block of Broadway in Belmont in the early morning hours of April 29. He died from his injuries on Thursday.

The suspect was arrested by Belmont police on Monday afternoon in connection with the beating.

The DA's office says Kaufman, 23, and the victim were drinking separately at the Lariat Tavern into the early hours of Monday April 29, and after closing at 2:15 a.m., the two got into an argument outside the bar over the victim’s female friend. Once outside the bar, the argument turned violent with Kaufman punching the victim in the face, pushing him to the ground and repeatedly kicking him in the head and torso until the victim was bloody and unconscious.

Hanepen suffered broken vertebrae, eye orbit fractures, broken teeth and bleeding in the brain, according to the DA’s office. He was being treated at Stanford Hospital and was taken off life support on Thursday according to Hanepen's brother, Carl.

Carl Hanepen told Patch that the victim had three children, but it is unknown at this time if the children also lived in Belmont.

Kaufman will appear again in court on May 10 at 1:30 p.m. for appointment of counsel.

The defendant remains in custody.