Post by KC on Jun 15, 2006 23:08:44 GMT -5
State trooper says he punched man accused of killing detective
By Ray Henry, Associated Press Writer | June 14, 2006
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A state trooper repeatedly punched a man in the face while trying to arrest him for allegedly shooting a Providence police detective to death with the officer's own gun, the trooper testified Wednesday in the man's murder trial.
Trooper Christopher Zarrella said he feared Esteban Carpio, on trial for allegedly killing Detective Sgt. James Allen inside police headquarters in April 2005, was armed and was trying to hurt him, so he punched him three times in the face.
"He was continuing to struggle, but a lot of the fight had been taken out of him," Zarrella said.
Carpio, whose lawyer says he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity, appeared in court the next day with a badly swollen face partially covered by a white plastic mask. His family accused police of brutality, but an investigation by the FBI found police did not use excessive force.
Although police officials have said since Carpio's arrest that he was apprehended during a violent struggle, Zarrella's testimony was the first time a police officer has publicly said he struck Carpio.
Zarrella said he and his partner headed for Providence after city police frantically called for assistance following Allen's shooting and Carpio's escape out a third-floor window. Zarrella said he left his cruiser after arriving downtown and began searching for a Hispanic man dressed in a fur coat, the description coming over the radio.
He said he soon spotted Carpio running along the street away from police. Another detective testified that Carpio was wearing a jacket with a fur collar inside-out.
Zarrella said he ran after Carpio, shouted at him to stop, then lunged at his chest as a Providence police officer dove at Carpio's legs. The impact knocked Carpio down, but Zarrella said he overshot and landed away from the struggling suspect.
Zarrella said he rolled to his feet and saw Carpio stand and swing at him. The 250-pound trooper said he then punched him three times.
A team of at least three police officers wrestled Carpio to the ground, handcuffed him and placed him in a police cruiser, Zarrella said.
Under cross-examination by Carpio's lawyer, Robert Sheketoff, Zarrella said Carpio didn't appear to be reaching for a weapon when he punched him.
Detective Patricia Cornell said she arrived just as police had captured Carpio. She saw about 10 officers circling Carpio, including five who appeared to be wrestling with him on the ground.
Returning to the station, Cornell was tasked with documenting a crime scene inside her own police headquarters. Pictures and videotape displayed for the jury showed that one chair inside the conference room had been toppled.
A cup of coffee was spilled over Allen's notebook. Crumpled maps lay on the floor, along with a trash can containing bloody debris. Allen's widow looked down and closed her eyes as jurors viewed a picture of her husband's bloodstained shirt.
Cornell said she believed most of the struggle happened near the conference room door, but she warned that she couldn't be sure. A police SWAT team, paramedics and other officers had walked through the crime scene, possibly disturbing evidence, before she arrived.
Carpio was at police headquarters on April 16, 2005, to be questioned about the stabbing of an 84-year-old woman earlier in the day. He has since been charged with the stabbing.
By Ray Henry, Associated Press Writer | June 14, 2006
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A state trooper repeatedly punched a man in the face while trying to arrest him for allegedly shooting a Providence police detective to death with the officer's own gun, the trooper testified Wednesday in the man's murder trial.
Trooper Christopher Zarrella said he feared Esteban Carpio, on trial for allegedly killing Detective Sgt. James Allen inside police headquarters in April 2005, was armed and was trying to hurt him, so he punched him three times in the face.
"He was continuing to struggle, but a lot of the fight had been taken out of him," Zarrella said.
Carpio, whose lawyer says he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity, appeared in court the next day with a badly swollen face partially covered by a white plastic mask. His family accused police of brutality, but an investigation by the FBI found police did not use excessive force.
Although police officials have said since Carpio's arrest that he was apprehended during a violent struggle, Zarrella's testimony was the first time a police officer has publicly said he struck Carpio.
Zarrella said he and his partner headed for Providence after city police frantically called for assistance following Allen's shooting and Carpio's escape out a third-floor window. Zarrella said he left his cruiser after arriving downtown and began searching for a Hispanic man dressed in a fur coat, the description coming over the radio.
He said he soon spotted Carpio running along the street away from police. Another detective testified that Carpio was wearing a jacket with a fur collar inside-out.
Zarrella said he ran after Carpio, shouted at him to stop, then lunged at his chest as a Providence police officer dove at Carpio's legs. The impact knocked Carpio down, but Zarrella said he overshot and landed away from the struggling suspect.
Zarrella said he rolled to his feet and saw Carpio stand and swing at him. The 250-pound trooper said he then punched him three times.
A team of at least three police officers wrestled Carpio to the ground, handcuffed him and placed him in a police cruiser, Zarrella said.
Under cross-examination by Carpio's lawyer, Robert Sheketoff, Zarrella said Carpio didn't appear to be reaching for a weapon when he punched him.
Detective Patricia Cornell said she arrived just as police had captured Carpio. She saw about 10 officers circling Carpio, including five who appeared to be wrestling with him on the ground.
Returning to the station, Cornell was tasked with documenting a crime scene inside her own police headquarters. Pictures and videotape displayed for the jury showed that one chair inside the conference room had been toppled.
A cup of coffee was spilled over Allen's notebook. Crumpled maps lay on the floor, along with a trash can containing bloody debris. Allen's widow looked down and closed her eyes as jurors viewed a picture of her husband's bloodstained shirt.
Cornell said she believed most of the struggle happened near the conference room door, but she warned that she couldn't be sure. A police SWAT team, paramedics and other officers had walked through the crime scene, possibly disturbing evidence, before she arrived.
Carpio was at police headquarters on April 16, 2005, to be questioned about the stabbing of an 84-year-old woman earlier in the day. He has since been charged with the stabbing.