Gun suspect found guilty despite claims of brutality

TRENTON —A jury found a young gun suspect guilty today despite defense arguments that cops cracked his skull while arresting him in Chambersburg the night of Oct. 6, 2012.

Axel Corado, 23, was found guilty of possession of a handgun as well as resisting arrest by a jury of six men and six women who listened to four days of testimony last week before starting deliberations Monday afternoon.

Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mark Fleming ordered his bail revoked and told prosecution and defense to have Corado’s pre-sentence report ready for a hearing on Dec. 13.

Corado’s mother, who had brought him a new tie for the day’s proceedings, broke into tears when she heard the click of sheriffs handcuffing him. The son, a reputed MS-13 gangster, glanced her way with glassy eyes when led away to jail.

The verdict was a win for Assistant Mercer County Prosecutor Al Garcia, who had to counter arguments from defense lawyer Caroline Turner that Trenton cops smashed Corado’s head beating him up and mistakenly arresting him.

After listening to replays of the testimony of detectives Jason Astbury and Aaron Bernstein on Monday and Tuesday morning, the jury had lunch and deliberated for an hour before announcing the decision.

It found that Corado did have a snub-nose .38-caliber pistol tucked into his pants that night and that he tossed it away while being chased, as Bernstein testified. It found him guilty of resisting by trying to dodge away from Bernstein and refusing to submit once tackled by the officer.

Bernstein, who was part of a tactical street squad that has since been disbanded, testified that he told the grand jury he didn’t think Corado should be charged with aggravated assault on a police officer — a charge that could have gotten the young man 20 years on conviction.

Still, Corado faces 10 years or more on the gun possession and resisting convictions.