After once promising actor Lillo Brancato Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in prison (possibly getting out in 5 years, with good behavior), he told his lawyer, "This is going to be good for me, this five years. I'm going to straighten myself out, put my thoughts together." more ›

Yesterday, juries in two separate cop killing cases came back with news that left the victims' families upset: Lee Woods, on trial for killing police officer Russel Timoshenko during a traffic stop, was granted a mistrial because one juror was ill while Lillo Brancato Jr., on trial for killing off-duty police officer Daniel Enchautegui, was found not guilty of murder. more ›

A jury found Lillo Brancato Jr. not guilty in the murder of off-duty police officer Daniel Enchautegui. Brancato did not fire the gun used in the killing; his friend Steven Armento, already convicted of murder, fired the shot, but the Bronx DA's office was able to charge him with murder and said Brancato was also responsible for Enchautegui's death. Brancato's lawyer claimed his client was just a drug addict—"He didn't have a gun, never alleged to have a gun, never committed a crime of violence, got shot." The jury had been deadlocked last week, but the judge asked them to continue their deliberations. The 32-year-old former actor was, however, found guilty of attempted burglary. more ›

The jury deliberating the fate of former actor Lillo Brancato Jr. must start over, because one juror was removed. According to the AP, "It was discovered a juror had been taking notes during testimony and doing research on the case at home." Brancato is on trial for killing an off-duty police officer in the Bronx. Earlier today, it was reported that the jurors asked to review evidence, including a 911 the slain cop, Daniel Enchautegui, made before his death. The victim's sister said of Brancato, "You have no idea how much I'm sick of seeing that guy. I can't take this anymore. He's smiling and laughing." more ›

Lillo Brancato Jr., who had a few moments of fame when he starred in A Bronx Tale and appeared in episodes of The Sopranos, tried to explain to a jury that he was not responsible for the murder of an off-duty police officer three years ago. Instead, Brancato chalked up his actions to being "dope sick"—a real junkie that "even my hair was hurting." more ›

Opening arguments began in the murder trial of Lillo Brancato Jr., an actor who starred in A Bronx Tale and appeared in The Sopranos but found himself ensnared in a robbery gone wrong when an off-duty cop was shot. more ›

A jury delivered a guilty verdict for Steven Armento, a Yonkers man accused of killing an off-duty police officer in 2005. Armento had been trying to break into a Bronx home for drugs with friend, actor Lillo Brancato, when police officer Daniel Enchautegui intervened. more ›

Almost three years after off-duty police officer Daniel Enchautegui was killed, after trying to stop a robbery next to his home in the Bronx, one of his accused killers' trial begins. Steven Armento and Lillo Brancato, on the prowl for drugs, had been trying to break into a house when Enchautegui intervened; though shot by Armento, Enchautegui, 28, managed to shoot both men. Yesterday, Armento's lawyer said it was the cop's fault, for not properly identifying himself, but prosecutors said the slain cop did ID himself and told them not to move. The defense also told the jury that a prosecution witness (from the NYPD) would "lie to you." Patrolmen's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch said, "[Armento] deserves a defense, but they’re not entitled to make fiction into fact. I’ve never been so insulted in a courtroom by that animal’s defense." more ›

Twenty years ago today, on WNBC's 6 p.m. newscast a monthly sports segment created by Len Berman made its debut - Spanning the World. Since then, viewers in the tri-state area along with those who catch the segment of wild and wacky sports highlights when Len visits the Today show have been hearing his trademark "and nobody got hurt" along with Don Pardo intoning "Tune in next time for Spanning the World, if there is a next time." We haven't heard of any special anniversary commemoration today, however there will be a half hour 20th anniversary special taped in front of a live audience airing on March 24th at 7:00 p.m. on NBC 4. more ›

innocent and an attempt to get his felony murder charges downgraded. If Armento claims Brancato knew he had a gun, it should be a very interesting trial. more ›

Only eight days after a funeral for police officer Dillon Stewart who was killed during a traffic stop, the NYPD, elected officials, and New Yorkers attended another funeral, one for police officer Daniel Enchautegui who was killed while trying to stop a burglary. About 20,000 people attended the Bronx funeral, and like Stewart, Enchautegui was posthumously promoted to first-grade detective. The Bronx DA's office said the two suspects in Enchautegui's death who have been recovering in a hospital from the shots the officer managed to get off before dying would be arraigned in their recovery rooms this morning. And the Post reported that Governor Pataki was negotiating tougher gun trafficking laws, in light of an increase in shootings. more ›

The killing of police officer Daniel Enchautegui (left)continues to be investigated, as the two suspects, Daniel Armento and Lillo Brancato, were charged with second degree murder. Police now believe that Armento, 48 years old, and Brancato, 29 years old, were searching for Valium when they broke into a Bronx home. Enchautegui, who was off-duty and at home next door, had heard the break-in. Police believe that Echautegui identified himself as a police officer, but was still shot by Armento; though wounded, Echautegui managed to shoot both men. Armento and Brancato had started the night at a Bronx strip club, Crazy Horse, but went on the prowl for drugs. They broke into a house where they had previously purchased Valium; the Post reports that Armento was too fat to squeeze through a window, so Brancato had to go in. What they didn't know was that the owner had died and the house was empty. The two men are recovering at Jacobi Hospital, with the police and DA's office waiting to take them into custody. more ›

New York lost another of it's Finest early this morning. Daniel Enchautegui, 28, a three-year veteran, was shot in the chest outside of his Bronx home while attempting to prevent a robbery in progress. more ›