Oakland bartender charged with killing homeless man with baseball bat

Authorities say a bartender at an upscale Oakland restaurant has been charged in the baseball bat killing of a homeless man outside the business.

The East Bay Times reported Thursday that 29-year-old Juan Espino of Oakland was charged with murder Wednesday in the killing of 42-year-old Cooky York.

Authorities say York was panhandling aggressively outside Flora, a popular restaurant and bar in Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood, when Espino confronted him Sunday afternoon.

Officials say that when York started walking away, Espino got the bat, ran after him and hit him in the back of the head. York later died at a hospital.

Authorities said the two men did not know each other.