Prosecutor Opens 8 Year Old Boy's Uzi Death Case at Machine Gun Shoot

[RamboLiberal]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — "Reckless and illegal actions" by a former police chief led to the accidental death of a boy who shot himself in the face with an Uzi submachine gun at a gun show, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

But others, including the boy's father, made the fatal decisions, a defense attorney said.

Former Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the event, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and furnishing a weapon to a minor in connection with the 2008 death of Christopher Bizilj (buh-SEEL') of Ashford, Conn.

"As a direct result of that reckless and illegal behavior, Christopher died," District Attorney William Bennett said in his opening statement to the jury in Hampden Superior Court.

http://www.countytimes.com/articles/2011/01/04/news/doc4d238c5deedfd761752731.txt

SPRINGFIELD – The lawyer for former Pelham police chief Edward B. Fleury says the father of 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj and those who oversaw the shooting range at the Westfield Sportsman's Club in October 2008 should be held accountable for the boy's death.

The argument came during opening statements in Hampden Superior Court at Fleury's trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge.

Hampden District Attorney William M. Bennett told jurors that Fleury actions were illegal in allowing an 8-year-old boy to fire a machine gun and the chief should be held criminally responsible for the boy's death.

Fleury’s lawyer, Rosemary Curran Scapicchio, told jurors in her opening statement Fleury is being improperly blamed for the boy's death.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/post_151.html

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"Fleury represented that it was all legal and fun," Bennett said. "The evidence will show that one of the purposes of Fleury's enterprise was to furnish machine guns to children."

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Then Christopher went to fire the gun. Bennett said an unlicensed and uncertified 15-year-old boy was helping Christopher. The teenager gave the Uzi to Christopher and had one hand on the boy and one on the gun, Bennett said.

"It was illegal to allow that child to have the weapon in the first place," Bennett told the jury. "Christopher is not capable of controlling this weapon. You will learn that this weapon fires 1,200 rounds per minute.

"He (Christopher) puts his finger on that trigger. It flips back. The small size of the gun makes it possible for the muzzle to come right back into his face," the prosecutor said.

Bennett said a bullet went through Christopher's face.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/04/AR2011010401622.html

Judge says media can show video of accidental Uzi shooting of 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj at Edward Fleury trial


SPRINGFIELD - The media will be given access to the videotape of 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj accidentally shooting himself in the head at a Westfield gun show in 2008.

Over the objections of prosecution and defense lawyers, Judge Peter A. Velis on Monday said there is no legal reason to prohibit media access to the video.

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During a hearing on Monday which preceded the judge’s ruling on media access to the videotape, Fleury’s lawyer, Rosemary Curran Scapicchio, predicted the video will “go viral” on the Internet once it is broadcast by media outlets. Once that happens, she said, the jury will not be able to escape being tainted.

“Once it goes viral no one has control over it anymore,” Curran Scapicchio said. She said the video will likely be shown all over the world and will become the subject of numerous national talk shows from all political persuasions.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/judge_says_media_can_show_vide.html

Club settles charges in boy's Uzi death

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts sporting club has settled charges in the accidental death of an 8-year-old Connecticut boy who shot himself with an Uzi during a 2008 gun fair at the club.

The Westfield Sportsman's Club pleaded no contest Thursday to involuntary manslaughter and agreed to a $1,000 fine, the maximum it faced under state law.

A second charge of furnishing a weapon to a minor will be dropped after a year if the club donates $10,000 to children's charities in the name of Christopher Bizilj.

Prosecutors and the boy's family agreed to the plea deal.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/hearing-in-boys-accidental-uzi-death