Suspect pleads not guilty in Chelsea death

Jose Santos, 25, was kicked out of a Christmas Eve party in Chelsea for taking part in an argument involving a group of men. The next morning, police found him dead in the street, beaten with a baseball bat.

According to prosecutors, Fredys A. Chicas, 26, left the party, saw Santos vandalizing a car, and chased him down the street.

David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk district attorney's office, said that Chicas struck Santos repeatedly with a bat and left him to die in an Arlington Street parking lot.

Chicas pleaded not guilty in Chelsea District Court yesterday and was held without bail. Officials are still investigating the incident and could make more arrests, Procopio said.

Chicas surrendered to police after a warrant was issued for his arrest Wednesday night, Procopio said.

It was unclear if Chicas and Santos, both of East Boston, knew each other before the party, Procopio said.

Chicas's lawyer, Anthony J. Rossi of Everett, said his client turned himself in to show his innocence. Chicas has two jobs to support his two children and does not have a criminal record, he said.

''He is from El Salvador," Rossi said. ''He could have left the country, but he stayed and came in voluntarily, because he is innocent."