‘He made a choice:” Trial continues in dragging case that left NYPD officer in a coma

<p>The trial for the teen accused of dragging an NYPD officer and nearly killing him continues today.</p>

News 12 Staff

Dec 11, 2018, 10:57 AM

Updated 1,970 days ago

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The trial for the teen accused of dragging an NYPD officer and nearly killing him continues today.
The trial, which began last Wednesday, is after an incident in June of last year where prosecutors say 16-year-old Justin Murrel was behind the wheel of a stolen car and took off when Detectice Dalsh Veve approached him, dragging him along for two and a half blocks.
Murrel is charged with attempted murder. Prosecutors argue he made deliberate choices to try to kill Veve, but his defense attorneys say there was no way for him to know Veve would hold on and what happened was an unintended consequence.
Veve’s injuries were so severe he was put in a coma and remained in rehab until nearly a year later.
Officer Veve was released from the hospital in May and to this day prosecutors say he still can't speak in full sentences or walk under his own power.
"He made a choice. He made a choice to steal a car, he made a choice to flee the scene, he made a choice to keep driving recklessly when a New York City police officer was hanging on the side of that car yelling police don't move,” says PBS President Pat Lynch.
This trial beginning last Wednesday, and jurors have heard from several witnesses. The trial expected to get back underway this morning.


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