(MM)
THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENTS NOW--
ON THE TRIAL OF A MAN--
ACCUSED IN THE BEATING
DEATH OF A WEST
GREENWICH MAN LAST
YEAR.
(CG)
CHRISTIAN LEPORE IS
ACCUSED OF BEATING
JOHN O NEIL TO DEATH IN
THE BACKYARD OF HIS
HOME.
TODAY--
LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS TOOK THE
STAND--
TO DESCRIBE WHAT THEY
FOUND WHEN THEY
ARRIVED ON THE SCENE --
AND HOW DIFFICULT IT
WAS TO SUBDUE LEPORE.
(MM)
EYEWITNESS NEWS
REPORTER JULIANNE
PEIXOTO HAS BEEN AT
COURT ALL DAY LONG--
AND JOINS US LIVE FROM
WARWICK NOW WITH THE
LATEST.
This is an insanity case,
Meaning, it's not a question of
whether Lepore committed
the crime--
But rather--
Did Lepore have control over
his actions--
And the mental capacity to
form criminal intent.
35-year-old Christian Lepore sat
quietly, showing little
expression in
court --
As law enforcement and emergency
personnel described his actions
on
May (28, 2016.
"I've Never seen that before in
my
life nor would I ever want to
see
that"
Lepore is accused of brutally
murdering 62-year-old John
O'Neil.
The West Greenwich man was
working near his wood shed on
John Potter road--
When Lepore allegedly emerged
from the woods naked--
And brutally beat him to death
with
objects in the yard--
Including a rock and a barrel.
(4:57:10)
"Through the rantings the
ravings
the swearing, Anti-Semitic
gibberish,
he wasn't making any sense."
It took four officers to
eventually
tackle Lepore to the ground.
Troopers say stun guns, pepper
spray, and a K9 had little
effect on
him.
Troopers say he ripped the stun
gun
prongs out of his body--
And put the K9 in a chokehold.
4:44:01)
"Never grimaced he never
flinched,
which you'd expect from somebody
that was having their flesh
ripped
opened by a K9"
Paramedics say Lepore would
shout
gibberish --
Then laugh menacingly,
And seemed to not feel the pain
of
his several injuries.
(5:00:28)
"Broken sentenced about Hitler
and
a woman named Rachel."
Lepore's defense team argues he
is
mentally ill --
And therefore was not able to
intentionally kill O'Neil.
(4:57:57)
"It led me to believe two things
either a he was under some type
of
hallucinogen narcotic that got
him to
that level or be that he was
mentally
unstable at the time."
One paramedic testified Lepore's
eyes were extremely dilated--
Which is typically indicative of
drug
use.
"it's entirely possible that it
could be
another reason for the eyes
being
dilated and my correct? That is
correct. And it's entirely
possible
that one of those reasons could
be
the individual suffering from a
severe mental illness am I
correct.
That would be correct depending
on
the mental illness"
Police searched Lepore's
house and his car --
Which was discovered parked
a couple miles away from the
crime scene.
Find out what they found
inside--
Coming up at 6.
Live in Warwick with the West
Bay mobile newsroom JP
EWN.
(MM)
FROM THE WEST BAY
MOBILE NEWSROOM,
EYEWITNESS NEWS IS AT
KENTY COUNTY COURT IN
WARWICK ---
THE PROSECUTION PLANS
TO CALL---- ITS FINAL
WITNESSES
TOMORROW---- IN THE
TRIAL OF CHRISTIAN
LEPORE --- HE'S ACCUSED
OF BEATING A WEST
GREENWICH MAN TO
DEATH LAST YEAR.
STATE TROOPERS
RETURNED TO THE STAND
TODAY --- AND REVEALED
WHAT THEY FOUND IN
LEPORE'S CAR.
EYEWITNESS NEWS
REPORTER JULIANNE
PEIXOTO JOINS US LIVE
FROM THE WEST BAY
MOBILE NEWSROOM WITH
THE NEW DETAILS AT SIX.
7 witnesses were called
today.
They were all either members
of law enforcement--
Or emergency personnel.
All of them said they had
never seen a person act the
way Christian Lepore did on
May 28, 2016.
It took four officers, a K9, a
stun gun
and several canisters of pepper
spray to subdue this man --
35-year-old Christian Lepore.
He's accused of brutally beating
62-year-old John O'Neil to
death--
In a seemingly random and
unprovoked attack.
"Did you ever experience
anything
like this? Never in my life, no"
Prosecutors say Lepore was
combative-and wouldn't listen to
their verbal commands.
Shannon Law
West Greenwich Rescue Paramedic
"He was screaming trying to
fight we
had a police officer with us to
help
keep his arms down while we try
to
treat him a little bit more the
entire
time he was just yelling and
spitting
in our faces."
Police and paramedics say Lepore
was threatening to kill them-
Spitting blood in their faces --
And Screaming about Hitler.
Once he was finally subdued with
the help of jumper cables --
Paramedics gave Lepore a muscle
relaxer in the ambulance.
Austin
"Did it have any effect? No, not
really not enough."
Police searched Lepore's
Richmond
home--
And his car, which was parked a
couple miles away from the
scene.
Inside the navy blue sedan--
They found 3 full bottles of
Yuengling beer --
An envelope with writing all
over it--
And Lepore's cell phone.
The state plans to call its
final
witness tomorrow--
Who prosecutors say will
discuss toxicology reports--
And if any substances were
found in Lepore's blood.
Prosecutors say --
Lepore will either be found
guilty--
Or not guilty by reason of
insanity.
Live in Warwick with the West
Bay mobile newsroom JP
EWN.