Shooting trial heats up as it nears an end

Defense attorney Larry Monard, who had been relatively placid in early stages of the Alphonso Proa-Rios trial, became more aggressive Thursday morning as OSBI Special Agent Trevor Ridgeway was on the stand.
In cross-examination of Ridgeway, Monard appeared to be hinting that the victim – Clinton Police Detective Mike Murley – had resorted himself to force earlier than he should have while trying to arrest Proa-Rios.
Monard had Ridgeway, the case agent, read from the Clinton Police Department’s Use of Force policy which indicated minimum force should be used before escalating. But in this case, said Ridgeway, if the officer had acted other than he did, “It’s very possible we would have been working a murder case.”
As it is, Proa-Rios is being tried for assault and battery with a deadly weapon after conviction of two or more felonies, possession of a firearm after former conviction, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Monard also seemed to be complaining that Murley was not in uniform and was not driving a marked police car when the shooting started.
Also, when asked by the defense attorney if it’s not good police policy for an officer to let a suspect know he’s a policeman when attempting to make an arrest, Ridgeway said, “When it’s safe to do so.”
And when asked by District Attorney Angela Marsee about Murley’s actions that day, the OSBI agent said he found no wrongdoing on the detective’s part.
Another OSBI agent, Todd Doyals, testified earlier that a knife was found after the shooting next to the front passenger tire of Murley’s vehicle. A photo showed it to be substantial in size.
Ridgeway also testified at length about a cell phone belonging to the defendant that had been found. He said it contained an exchange of messages between Proa-Rios and his girlfriend, whom the agent identified as Lucretia Schapansky.
The messages indicated the defendant was at the D&D Apartments on South Sixth Street shortly before the exchange of shots and wanted her to pick him up there.
“Get away from there and I will,” she allegedly replied, stating that police had been watching that location heavily.
Ridgeway testified that at 2:58 p.m. that day, there was another message on the phone which said, “Come to South Second Street.”
The shoot-out occurred at South Third and Hayes Avenue shortly after that.
Murley was expected to take the stand himself Thursday afternoon as the last witness for the state. After that, the defense would be allowed to begin its case for acquittal.