Shooting trial may wrap up today

The trial of a Coatesville man accused of trying to shoot and kill two city police officers during a routine pedestrian stop, and who was then shot himself by the officers, could wrap up as early as Monday.

Common Pleas Judge Patrick Carmody on Friday told the 12 jurors and three alternates hearing the case against Andrew Emmett “Needles” Fiorentino that he would try to see that the case was presented to them for deliberations on Monday, after four days of testimony last week.

But Carmody said that he could make no promises and that the trial might have to be extended into Tuesday, depending how testimony proceeds. At least two jurors have alerted the court that they had obligations that would keep from service past Monday — the reason for the presence of the three alternates.

The prosecution has called almost one dozen witnesses in its case thus far — including the two officers involved in the shooting, Detective Joseph Thompson and Officer Ryan Corcoran. The witness list has included members of the Chester County Detectives unit that investigated the shooting, other members of the Coatesville police department who were called to the scene that night, as well as medical personnel, a DNA expert, and others.

Led by Deputy District Attorney Carlos Barraza and Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Morgan, the prosecution contends that Fiorentino purposefully fired at least two shot at Thompson and Corcoran during a confrontation in the 700 block of Merchant Street. He is charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated as- sault, recklessly endangering another person, and weapons offenses.

“He tried to kill two police officers who were simply trying to do their job, and keep their community safe,” Morgan contended in her opening statement to the jury last week. “Every police officer knows when they leave the home to go to work that day, that it just might be their last. They don’t like it. It’s not fun. But they do it because it’s their job.”

The defense is also expected to call witnesses of its own, but it is unknown whether Fiorentino will take the stand to testify in his own defense. Attorney Paul Hetznecker of Philadelphia, representing Fiorentino, has rejected the prosecution’s version of the shooting, suggesting that Thompson and Corcoran fired at Fiorentino without provocation.

“If you believe that the officers are telling

Fiorentino