lillobrancatojr
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 Accused Cop Killers Plead Not Guilty
The two men accused of killing an off-duty NYPD officer last month pleaded not guilty to murder charges in a Bronx courtroom Monday.
Actor Lillo Brancato Jr., from "A Bronx Tale," and his girlfriend's father, Steven Armento, were arraigned on murder and other charges stemming from last month's shooting death of Officer Daniel Enchautegui.
Enchautegui was off-duty when police say he caught the two men breaking into a neighbor's basement looking for drugs.
Police say Armento shot the officer, fatally wounding him.
Enchautegui managed to return fire, hitting and wounding both suspects before he died.
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NY1's Dean Meminger filed this report.
NYPD officers packed Bronx State Supreme Court Monday as actor Lillo Brancato Jr. and Steven Armento heard the official charges against them in the shooting death of Officer Daniel Enchautegui.
Armento, who allegedly pulled the trigger, is facing charges of first and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and burglary. Brancato is facing all the same charges except first-degree murder. They pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The police union says murder is murder.
“What we are asking the people of the Bronx to be aware of is, do not allow that celebrity to get in the way of treating these people like they are - criminals who killed a resident of the Bronx and a proud New York City police officer," said Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch.
“Lillo Brancato is not a cutie-pie celebrity. Lillo Brancato is not a good guy," said Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion.
On December 10th, Enchautegui, who was off-duty at the time, went to check out a break-in at a neighbor's house in Pelham Bay. He confronted Armento and Brancato. There was a gun battle in which the officer was killed, but he managed to shoot both men several times.
Brancato, who has starred in several television shows and movies, including “A Bronx Tale,” is defended by well-known attorney Mel Sachs.
“The law recognizes that Lillo Brancato is not guilty of murder since he did not have a weapon, he did not know the other person had a weapon, he did not cause the death of this police officer, and this is the law in New York State," said Sachs.
Armento's lawyer also knows the legal system well. Defense attorney William Flack is a former high level prosecutor from the Bronx District Attorney's office.
“The district attorney has a video unit just like you guys have video right now. They went to the hospital to speak to my client but left the video unit home. Why did they do that? I think the answer is pretty obvious; he was in such condition that he shouldn’t have been spoken to,” said Flack. “But yet they took an audio statement with no video - I'm concerned about that."
In December both men first heard the charges against them in a rare hospital room arraignment while recovering from their bullet wounds. Their lawyers told the court Monday the men still need special medical attention because of the injuries.
With a Hollywood actor and his friend charged in the death of an officer, the judge who presided over the hearing said this is a special case because of its nature.
Brancato and Armento are scheduled to be back in court in March. The PBA says it will once again pack the courtroom with police officers.
http://real.ny1.com:8080/ramgen/real4/0014ED28_060110_072233hi.rm
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1/23/2006, 6:41 am
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