Molina Cirino side comes out as four people take stand in fifth day of testimony
By
By SUSAN CAMPBELL
Story Created:
Mar 17, 2008 at 11:14 AM EST
Story Updated:
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM EST
UTICA - The trial continued Monday for Wesley Molina Cirino, the man accused of gunning down Utica Police Officer Thomas Lindsey. Though Wesley Molina Cirino did not testify, his side of the story came out in evidence.
Four witnesses took the stand including two people from the Syracuse District Attorney's office, a private investigator who also served as a translator for Cirino and the lead investigator on the case, Utica Police Officer Robert Kopek.
Testimony largely focused on whether or not Molina Cirino understood translations as he was being interviewed and whether those translations were accurate. By all accounts, the interpretations were accurate.
Then, testimony shifted to taped interviews with the defendant which were conducted in Syracuse. Through that interview, Molina Cirino tells a much different story of what happened the night Officer Lindsey was killed. "Flaco" places his cousin, Jose Cirino, at the scene as the shooter and explains that his cousin confided in him after the fact.
At first, the jury saw highlights of that taped interview and then the entire interview was shown in order to put the evidence into context. At the end of the day's testimony, Judge Donalty told jurors that he expects Investigator Serrano to take the stand, which will include more video-taped interviews.
Judge Donalty says he anticipates that jurors will have the case for consideration on Wednesday.
"Were there ever times during the interview where the defendant appeared not to be able to understand what you were saying?" Investigator Gabriel Rams Jr. was asked.
"No," Rams said.
"Were you able to communicate with the defendant?" he was again asked.
"No problems with that," Rams replied.
"Did anyone ever indicate to you that he was mentally limited in any way?"
"No," Rams answered.
