The NY Post has an "exclusive" with Lillo Brancato Jr., the small-time actor who accompanied a friend to steal drugs from an acquaintance's house and was confronted by an off-duty police officer - with the police officer ending up dead. The jailhouse interview, conducted at Rikers, is complete with Brancato's "misty-eyed" proclamations that he did respect police officers and the law, that he had no idea that his friend, Steven Armento, was carrying a gun and that he feels "horrible" over his "stupidity." While Brancato may be genuine in his remorse for Officer Daniel Enchautegui's death, it also seemed like a big plea to the DA's office and any potential jury that he's relatively 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.
Brancato also told the Post that he wanted to meet the Enchautegui family, saying, "I would tell them that if there is anything I could do to help — and I know it won't bring their son back — but if there is anything I could do to make their life easier, I would do it." Two words: Residual paychecks.
