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Officer pleads innocent in shooting cover-up
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Posted at 4:17 p.m. EDT Tuesday, September 25, 2001 Officer pleads innocent in shooting cover-upMIAMI -- (AP) -- A police officer pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges that he lied about the shooting of an unarmed homeless man.Jorge Castello is one of 13 members of special Miami police squads charged with planting guns after four police shootings that left three people dead. He's also accused of lying to cover for fellow officers.Two retired officers have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the FBI investigation.Castello went on trial in February on a state perjury charge for allegedly participating in a cover-up after the homeless man was wounded in 1997. That case ended in a mistrial.His attorney received word Friday that the state case was dismissed in light of the federal charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy.``They brought the state case over to here,'' said defense attorney Richard Sharpstein. ``This is old dead wood, already chopped and put on the fire.''Co-defendant Jesus Aguero, the only officer among those charged to be fired, was acquitted of planting a gun in the state trial.