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.
But..but...NYC has tough gun control laws! How could a criminal there possibly have had a gun?
/sarcasm
"Lets chip in and send him a jar of vaseline."
Ok, I'm in for a nickle, but how about we make it a can of valve grinding compound?
Was this kid Jackie Jr. on The Sopranos???
Interesting point. I wonder how this squares with the Hollywood claim that violence and deprativy in movies DOES NOT influence kids. I guess they get to pick when they are influencing kids and when they aren't.
I wish I could do that.
He was Matt Bevelaqua ( SP) and he was "wacked" after participating in a hit on Christopher ( Tony's newphew) by Tony himself.
I agree with you.
Having said that though I am surprised he was allowed contact with the other fellow Armento( the shooter) in prison???? That makes no sense at all.
Early press reports have stated that they were led into the club by the owner ( a friend?) and bypassed the metal detector security.
The Armento was shot in the penis. I kid you not.
Thanks.
Great points. The guy is so into himself an out of touch with reality that he really thinks spilling his guts is going to help him in the sympathy department. So typical of a prima-donna actor.
How typical of a drug addict. He was not major Hollywood player but he is a drug addict.
If what he is saying is true, it is a matter for sentencing, not for charging or convicting.
That should be enough for Schumer, Pelosi, Reid and the rest of the Dems to let him go. After all, they say that all they want is for Bush to admit he made mistakes.
Stupid lib idiots.
yeah, they are just trying to make it so that he has an acting career after all of this. I don't know if you read the NYPost but you should have seen the article that they had regarding this little punk. Too bad the two shots that hit him didn't hit him in the head or something.
Didn't work for Tookie, but maybe this Tookie wanna be thinks it will for him
Good shootin'
I am at a loss to understand "Come to Idaho, land of ventilated smokers" as regards the Lillo Brancato thread or anything I said on it. PLEASE ==I am REALLY CURIOUS!
WHAT is the MEANING???
I appreciate that, and good point about what he may really be looking for. It just seems we are so quick to slam folks; I'm trying to get away from that. I know a few folks who have really surprised me by breaking the law, people you would never expect to. It's just interesting how we are wired and what makes us do the things we do. I still am a firm believer in appropriate punishment.
Thanks for your time.
Anywy, the most important thing is that he's sorry.
He obviously did not learn a damn thing from that film.
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