Surviving firefighter testifies in 'Black Sunday' trial

Jurors in the ?Black Sunday? trial heard an emotional testimony Thursday from a firefighter who survived the Bronx blaze that killed two of his colleagues in 2005. Taking the witness stand at the Bronx

News 12 Staff

May 27, 2014, 9:45 PM

Updated 3,632 days ago

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Surviving firefighter testifies in 'Black Sunday' trial
Jurors in the ?Black Sunday? trial heard an emotional testimony Thursday from a firefighter who survived the Bronx blaze that killed two of his colleagues in 2005.
Taking the witness stand at the Bronx County Hall of Justice, Brendan Cawley said he is still haunted by memories from the day when Lt. Curtis Meyran and firefighter John Bellew leaped to their deaths after getting trapped inside the burning building.
Cawley recalled holding on to Meyran just moments before the firefighter fell four stories to the ground.
?I remember it like it was yesterday,? Cawley said. ?The way his body landed in the backyard ? I saw his legs basically snap like sticks.?
After Meyran fell, Cawley says he crawled out the window and dangled from the child window guards for a few seconds before letting go and landing on the concrete floor below.
During cross examination, the defense pressed Cawley for admitting he suffered from memory loss, which may have impaired his recollection of the incident. Cawley fired back, saying he is speaking on behalf of himself living through that day.
Cesar Rios, the Bronx building's landlord, and tenants Rafael Castillo and Caridad Coste have been charged with manslaughter for allegedly contributing to the deaths of Meyran and Bellew by creating illegal partitions in the building.
Surviving firefighter testifies in 'Black Sunday' trial Jurors hear radio transmissions in 'Black Sunday' trialTestimony continues in 'Black Sunday' trial Defendants in 'Black Sunday' case go on trial Tenant: 'Black Sunday' repeat possible at building


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