Post by KC on Jun 7, 2006 21:58:14 GMT -5
Detective Michael J. Adams
June 07, 2006 - A Wilkinsburg police detective accused of sticking the barrel of a revolver in the mouth of another man was convicted Tuesday of trespassing in an off-duty incident two years ago in Westmoreland County.
Detective Michael J. Adams and his co-defendant, Brian G. Keener Sr., 49, of Verona, who were tried on charges of assault and burglary, each said they felt vindicated after the verdict.
"I'm going to continue to serve the citizens of Wilkinsburg," said Adams, 43, a New Kensington resident who has been a Wilkinsburg officer since 1994. "I take pride in my job, and I intend to continue to perform my duties."
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Richard E. McCormick Jr. fined each man $300.
Adams was accused of taking the law into his own hands outside of his jurisdiction on June 11, 2004, a week after someone had thrown a rock at his BMW.
He and Keener testified that they tracked the alleged vandals to a home on Charles Avenue in New Kensington and began to smash a vehicle parked outside.
The vehicle belonged to Anthony Febbraio, the son of a New Kensington-Arnold school director.
Police say Febbraio was inside the house visiting with three friends -- Colton Gilg, Frank Leonard and Kurt Sgalio. Leonard died of unrelated circumstances before the trial.
Prosecutors contended that Adams slapped the men with his Wilkinsburg badge and then placed the barrel of a revolver in Febbraio's mouth while Keener stood by holding a baseball bat.
Defense attorneys characterized the confrontation as a nonviolent discussion over who had damaged Adams' car.
Febbraio and the others admitted during the trial that they damaged Adams' vehicle, saying they were targeting another BMW.
A jury of seven women and five men deliberated for two hours on Monday and for nearly seven hours yesterday. Jurors declined to comment on their verdict.
"I had complete faith in Mike from the day we started," said Adams' attorney, Tom Ceraso.
None of the alleged victims or their families stayed to hear the jury's decision. Court documents filed in the Prothonotary's Office indicate Febbraio and Gilg are preparing to file a civil lawsuit against Adams, Keener and the Wilkinsburg Police Department.