Posted on 12/29/2005 9:01:37 AM PST by presidio9
A young "Sopranos" actor accused in the slaying of an off-duty police officer said in a jailhouse interview he's sorry and didn't know his alleged burglary accomplice was carrying a gun.
Lillo Brancato Jr., who appeared opposite Robert De Niro "A Bronx Tale" and more recently was in several episodes of "The Sopranos," was charged with murder and other counts in the Dec. 10 shooting of Daniel Enchautegui during a gunfight.
He told the New York Post in an interview published Thursday that he wept while reading a newspaper account of Enchautegui's funeral.
"When I saw the picture of his father, it brought tears to my eyes because he looked like one of those old-fashioned men kind of like my father," Brancato said. "I also thought that could have been my father going to my funeral."
Enchautegui, 28, was shot after he heard Brancato, 29, and another man, Steven Armento, breaking into a basement apartment in the Bronx, authorities said. Before he died, Enchautegui wounded both suspects.
Brancato, who acknowledges problems with drugs and alcohol, said he was unaware Armento was carrying a weapon when they left a strip club to break into the apartment and steal prescription drugs. Authorities identified Armento, 48, as the gunman in the slaying.
"If I would have known, I wouldn't have allowed him in my car," Brancato said. "Imagine, we get pulled over and I get caught with an armed felon in my car. Since I've been in the movies, it would have instantly drawn attention."
Brancato said he might take the witness stand at trial to tell the jury "how horrible I feel about my stupidity."
"If I had the chance, I would want to meet his family and look them in the face and tell then how sorry I feel about what happened," he said.
Brancato was still in his teens when he played De Niro's son in "A Bronx Tale" in 1993. He appeared on six episodes of "The Sopranos" during the 1999-2000 season as a wannabe mobster who was killed by boss Tony Soprano.
Has sob sister Mike Farrell said anything about the plight of this little tyke?
OK, for the purposes of investigation, I will confirm that the Crazy Horse in the Bronx DOES indeed have metal detectors.
That's why you make the choice ahead of time to not get involved in this kind of stuff, ya friggin' idiot. Giving a jailhouse sob story doesn't help you a bit.
Veni Vidi Veni.
Owl_Eagle
"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in. I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"
Boy, am I gonna draw fire for this:
People do stupid things, and there isn't one of us out there who hasn't. Not that anything excuses his behaviour and not that he shouldn't serve the penalty, but I think we were taught to hate the sin and not the sinner. YES,he should do the time and no number of books or charity should lesson his punishment.
Sorry, but the NY Post is not a confessional. Cologeno gave this interview for one reason only: His lawyer has him working on potential future jurors.
Trust me on this one: On your Nationwide tour of strip clubs, the Bronx is one borough you can afford to miss. As a matter of fact, when in the NYC area, stick to Manhatttan. But bring money.
Probably. But he was interviewed because he is a celebrity. We are guilty of a fascination with these folks. Not that any of this excsuses anything.
I just find it all stupid and tragic. I don't think this guy is really evil or scuzzie, just not too bright. He should do his time.
Most criminals aren't. I'm ready to forgive him from a Christian standpoint, but I doubt that's what he's looking for.
What a complete moron.
Bronx Tale was one of my favs too.
I hope the officer driving the car reached over and pulled up the lock for him...on his side of the squad...
She's 'a keeper'...
Lets chip in and send him a jar of vaseline.
Idiot.
Hee-hee.
The worst one's I've ever seen were in Reno. The attractive women were few and far between and always monopolized by the guys with wads of twenties that would choke a horse.
I actually had a Russian with a thick accent and dour personality try to talk me into a dance there, with the line "Look. I lock my keys in car. Locksmith in parking lot right now. I need fifty seven dollars. I dance for you." Very appealing.
Owl_Eagle
"You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in. I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being"
Nothing says buzzkill faster than a Russian stripper. They must have schools over there or something.
"Does anyone out there believe this? Anyone at all? (crickets chirping)..."
Well if someone does I've got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale .....
I thought it was old Zippity Doo Dah.
What you just quoted I was going to quote as possibly the all-time Darwin award-winning statement to the press or Police. Unbelievable lack of irony. I had wondered what happened to Brancato for several years after BRONX TALE, and I finally saw him on the Sopranos about 5 years later. What I didn;t know was that he was playing himself on The Sopranos. Life imitates art imitates Life.
Come to Idaho land of ventilated smokers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.