Don't get lippy, husband tells wife

A CALIFORNIAN man has appeared in court charged with biting off his wife's bottom lip because she called him short.

Akano Nzerem, 54, of South San Francisco, is charged with counts of domestic violence, mayhem, false imprisonment, battery and making criminal threats.

He would stand trial next month after rejecting a plea deal, prosecutors said today.

Mr Nzerem told police he was provoked by his wife attacking him first and calling him a short man, the Associated Press reported.

Police said Mr Nzerem shoved aside his 16-year-old daughter when she tried to intervene then allegedly grabbed his wife in a bear hug and bit off her lip.

Police recovered the lip from the floor but doctors were unable to reattach it.

In defence of her husband, Mrs Nzerem said authorities had exaggerated the extent of her injuries.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21781238-5001028,00.html

It didn't show his race but here is a google search of his last name all are black.

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&gbv=2&safe=off&q=Nzerem