Shooting victim testifies in trial

The survivor of the ambush that claimed the life of Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Tephford 11 years ago was called back to the stand on Tuesday, this time to testify for the defense.

Corey Carbocci first testified in June, telling a Broward jury that he had arrived as backup for Tephford during a traffic stop at the Versailles Gardens apartment complex in Tamarac. He said then that he did not see the shooter whose bullets struck him in the leg and chest.

Defense lawyer Hilliard Moldof brought Carbocci back in front of the jury Tuesday to review some of the details of his testimony, emphasizing that Carbocci could not identify the shooter and establishing a timeline of events from Carbocci’s memory.

Carbocci said he recalled taking his eyes off the Toyota that Tephford had pulled over long enough to look at the computer screen in Tephford’s patrol car. Defendant Eloyn Ingraham was a passenger in the Toyota.

Carbocci again testified about the shooting, saying he saw flashes and heard pops at about the same time. He also said he heard Tephford scream and saw flashes of light from the muzzle of a gun that was pointed at him.

But, he said again, he could not identify the shooter.

Outside the presence of the jury, Moldof argued to Broward Circuit Judge Paul Backman that Carbocci should be questioned about a statement he made to an investigator hours after the shooting. In that statement, Carbocci gave a vague physical description of the shooter’s clothing that did not appear to match Moldof’s client, Bernard Forbes, or the third defendant in the case, Andre Delancy.

Backman did not allow the testimony because Carbocci did not remember making the statement and could not verify whether the investigator’s report was accurate.

Ingraham, Forbes and Delancy are each charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder. They face the death penalty if convicted of the most severe charges.

Moldof is expected to continue presenting Forbes’ defense this week.

Attorney H. Dohn Williams concluded his defense on Delancy’s behalf last week after calling just one witness.

Ingraham’s defense lawyer, Daniel Aaronson, will be the last to present a case, though the timeline for that presentation is not clear. Scheduled vacations during the holiday season promise more interruptions as the defense continues its presentations, and prosecutors Mike Satz and Jeff Marcus will have an opportunity to present rebuttal evidence once the defense rests.

Attorneys anticipate closing arguments in January.