Actor, Friend Face Charges in Police Death

[Conservativesux]

By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press Writer

12/11/2005

NEW YORK - An actor who once played an aspiring mobster on "The Sopranos" faces murder charges along with another man in the death of an off-duty police officer, authorities said Sunday.

Lillo Brancato Jr., 29, was hospitalized in critical condition with gunshot wounds suffered when the officer shot him after catching two men breaking into a home. Brancato's friend Steven Armento, 48, was also shot and in critical condition.

Prosecutors were in the process Sunday of charging Armento with first- and second-degree murder and Brancato with second-degree murder in the death Saturday of Officer Daniel Enchautegui, 28, said Steven Reed, a spokesman for the district attorney's office.

<snip>

Brancato got his acting break as a 16-year-old in the Robert De Niro-directed film "A Bronx Tale" in 1993. He appeared in a dozen other films, including "Crimson Tide" and "Enemy of the State." On "The Sopranos," he played mobster wannabe Matt Bevilacqua in a half-dozen episodes before he was executed by the mob boss.


More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051212/ap_en_tv/officer_shot;_ylt=Aj_5HpahebdBRSXf.VwuilmmG78C;_ylu=X3oDMTA3YXYwNDRrBHNlYwM3NjI-

[Historic NY]

1. Apparently they were looking to rob a drug dealer....

picked the wrong home. Seems Brancato picked up a heroin habit along his way to stardom. The Officer Daniel Enchautegui 28 shot them each four times before he died. He was a 3 yrs veteran of the NYPD.

The news tonight showed various memorials left for the fallen officer near the scene of his death.

Perhaps the press should focus on the officer, his comrades and family instead of the scum that killed him.

Enchautegui was the second New York City police officer killed in less than two weeks; officer Dillon Stewart was shot to death Nov. 28 during a car chase. Dillon was just laid to rest on Tuesday.

[Maat]

2. What a tragedy!

The officer's family is in our prayers.