Zampini pleads not guilty to murder charge

   TRENTON — An East Windsor man charged with the stabbing death last fall of a woman with whom he lived has pleaded not guilty to murder, according to the Mercer County prosecutor’s office.
   Donald Zampini, 70, of Wyndmoor Drive, is accused of stabbing 63-year-old Barbara Morris with a household knife on Sept. 1. Pleas were entered Monday on Mr. Zampini’s behalf by Public Defender Charles Centinaro, said Casey DeBlasio, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office.
   Mr. Centinaro could not be reached for comment.
   Pleas of not guilty also were entered before Judge Charles Delehey on charges of possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and unlawful possession of a weapon, Ms. DeBlasio said.
   A grand jury returned indictments on all three charges on Feb. 23. Mr. Zampini remains in the County Correction center in lieu of $500,000 bail, Ms. DeBlasio said.
   East Windsor police said they responded to a 9-1-1 call at 12:57 a.m. from a person they did not identify who said Ms. Morris had been murdered and that Mr. Zampini was attempting to commit suicide. When they arrived at the house, police said, they found Ms. Morris’ body in the living room, where Mr. Zampini also was found.
   Mr. Zampini had cuts and bruises on his hand and appeared to be losing consciousness due to the ingestion of over-the-counter sleep aids, police said.