Home > Our Blog > Marcelo Lucero Trial: Testimony by Three Police Officers on the Arrest of Jeff Conroy

Blog Post

Marcelo Lucero Trial: Testimony by Three Police Officers on the Arrest of Jeff Conroy

Posted March 22, 2010 by Patrick Young, Esq.
Categories: Hate Watch

As part of Long Island Wins’ pledge to cover the full Marcelo Lucero case, I went to the trial today in Riverhead.

Today’s court hearing focused on the testimony of three police officers involved in the arrest of Jeffrey Conroy and six other young men involved in the attack on Marcelo Lucero on Nov. 8, 2008.

Sgt. Gibbons was the first to testify. He said that after hearing a description at around 11:57PM of seven young men who were believed to have been involved in the attack on Marcelo Lucero a few minutes earlier, at around 12:03 AM he saw seven men matching the description walking north on S. Ocean Ave. towards Main St. in Patchogue in front of the Camera Concepts store. He intercepted them, told them to stop and ordered them to put their hands up against the real estate office next door.

Officer Michael Richardson was the next to testify. The seven-year veteran was at the Bellport Train Station speaking with another officer when “a radio call came over of a man stabbed in Patchogue” at around 11:57 or 11:58 PM.

Here is some of the officer’s testimony without the questions of the D.A.:

“We headed [to Patchogue]. As we were going to Funero Court [in Patchogue] we heard a description of the suspects. A few moments later I heard Sgt. Gibbons say he had apprehended the suspects. We were going to go to assist Sgt. Gibbons. {I saw] Sgt. Gibbons and two other officers. There were seven suspects facing the wall.

I approached one of the suspects because he was fidgeting and not staying in line. I went over to tell him to stay in line. He was wearing a black shirt with “Raiders” written on it. [Richardsen identified Jeff Conroy as the suspect with the “Raiders” shirt].

I approached Mr. Conroy to see if he had a weapon on him and patted him down. [Richardsen did not find a weapon during the first pat down].

He was nervous and fidgety.

[Sgt. Gibbons then ordered the suspects taken to the Fifth Precinct].

I put handcuffs on Mr. Conroy. I patted him down a second time. I asked him if he had any weapons. He asked to speak to me alone. He said “I have a blade on me”. He told me to lift up his sweatshirt. I saw a knife in his waistband. I removed it and opened it. It was a folding knife. I noticed a red liquid on it. I said “There’s blood on it”. I was surprised. He said “I stabbed him”.

Richardson had arrived at the scene of the arrest around 12:03 AM. He took Conroy to the police station at about 12:20 AM.

The Assistant District Attorney asked Richardsen to identify photographs of the blood-stained knife he found on Conroy. The pictures showed an ugly thing with a sharp cutting point and serrations near the knifes base for tearing flesh.

Officer Jason LaRosa was the last of the three police officers to testify. He arrived at the arrest scene at 12:03 AM. He saw the seven young men standing in front of Camera Concepts just moments after Sgt. Gibbons had stopped them. “They were sweaty”, LaRosa recalled.

After LaRosa had patted down Jose Pacheco and Kevin Shea, both of whom have pleaded guilty, and handcuffed Shea, he searched the area. In a garbage can a few feet from where the men were detained, he saw a second knife. “It was right on top of the garbage” he told the court.

The trial is open to the public. Ask for the courtroom of Judge Robert Doyle on the third floor if you want to go. Testimony resumes tomorrow at 10:30 AM.

Tags : hate crimes, hate watch, marcelo lucero

Permalink Comments