Video of boy's Uzi shooting shown at US trial
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Jurors in the trial of a former police chief watched video Thursday of an 8-year-old boy accidentally shooting himself to death with an Uzi submachine gun at a 2008 gun fair, a sight that prompted a collective gasp in the courtroom.
The video, taken by the boy's father, shows Christopher Bizilj, of Ashford, Connecticut, shooting the 9 mm micro Uzi when the front of the weapon kicks back toward his head and part of the boy's skull appears to fly off.
Former Pelham, Massachusetts, police Chief Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the gun fair at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and furnishing weapons to a minor. He's on trial in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield.
The boy's father, emergency room Dr. Charles Bizilj, testified Thursday that he videotaped Christopher with the micro Uzi, which jammed several times. He said he started and stopped videotaping several times as the gun jammed. At one point, he said he picked his camera up, looked toward the firing line and couldn't see Christopher.
"Chris was not in the viewfinder," Bizilj testified calmly with no visible signs of emotion. "Chris was on the ground. I ran over to him. His eyes were open. I saw no reason for him to be on the ground. I tried to talk to him. He didn't respond. I put my hand behind his head to pick him up. ... There was a large portion of his cranium missing."
Bizilj said he gave medical attention to Christopher until paramedics arrived.
Some relatives began to cry during the testimony, and several left the courtroom. They declined to comment earlier in the day.
Dr. Bizilj said his two young sons were excited about the gun fair, which he had first heard about months earlier at a Labor Day party and in talks with friends.
"This was a big event," Bizilj testified. "Christopher wore his special camo pants, camo shoes and a jacket with big pockets because he had been in the habit of collecting shells off the ground."
The doctor said his sons had used firearms but had never shot automatic weapons before the machine-gun shoot.
Prosecutor William Bennett has said Christopher was too young to control the powerful weapon, which fires 1,200 rounds per minute. A now-retired state medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Christopher testified that the boy died from a single bullet wound that caused major brain damage and bleeding.
Fleury's company, COPS Firearms & Training, co-sponsored the event with the Westfield Sportsman's Club.
Bizilj acknowledged under cross-examination by Fleury's lawyer, Rosemary Scapicchio, that he signed a waiver at the Sportsman's Club before the shooting saying he was aware of the possible risks, including death, and absolved anyone of liability.
He also acknowledged that he told reporters soon after the event that he believed it was a tragic accident but later decided to file a lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed against the Westfield Sportsman's Club, Fleury and two other co-defendants for negligence. It was settled last month for about $700,000, but Fleury wasn't part of the settlement, Scapicchio said.
Bizilj said his family would use the money to set up a foundation for children's activities.
http://news.ca.msn.com/world/cp-article.aspx?cp-documentid=27144442
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Jurors in the trial of a former police chief watched video Thursday of an 8-year-old boy accidentally shooting himself to death with an Uzi submachine gun at a 2008 gun fair, a sight that prompted a collective gasp in the courtroom.
The video, taken by the boy's father, shows Christopher Bizilj, of Ashford, Connecticut, shooting the 9 mm micro Uzi when the front of the weapon kicks back toward his head and part of the boy's skull appears to fly off.
Former Pelham, Massachusetts, police Chief Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the gun fair at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and furnishing weapons to a minor. He's on trial in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield.
The boy's father, emergency room Dr. Charles Bizilj, testified Thursday that he videotaped Christopher with the micro Uzi, which jammed several times. He said he started and stopped videotaping several times as the gun jammed. At one point, he said he picked his camera up, looked toward the firing line and couldn't see Christopher.
"Chris was not in the viewfinder," Bizilj testified calmly with no visible signs of emotion. "Chris was on the ground. I ran over to him. His eyes were open. I saw no reason for him to be on the ground. I tried to talk to him. He didn't respond. I put my hand behind his head to pick him up. ... There was a large portion of his cranium missing."
Bizilj said he gave medical attention to Christopher until paramedics arrived.
Some relatives began to cry during the testimony, and several left the courtroom. They declined to comment earlier in the day.
Dr. Bizilj said his two young sons were excited about the gun fair, which he had first heard about months earlier at a Labor Day party and in talks with friends.
"This was a big event," Bizilj testified. "Christopher wore his special camo pants, camo shoes and a jacket with big pockets because he had been in the habit of collecting shells off the ground."
The doctor said his sons had used firearms but had never shot automatic weapons before the machine-gun shoot.
Prosecutor William Bennett has said Christopher was too young to control the powerful weapon, which fires 1,200 rounds per minute. A now-retired state medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Christopher testified that the boy died from a single bullet wound that caused major brain damage and bleeding.
Fleury's company, COPS Firearms & Training, co-sponsored the event with the Westfield Sportsman's Club.
Bizilj acknowledged under cross-examination by Fleury's lawyer, Rosemary Scapicchio, that he signed a waiver at the Sportsman's Club before the shooting saying he was aware of the possible risks, including death, and absolved anyone of liability.
He also acknowledged that he told reporters soon after the event that he believed it was a tragic accident but later decided to file a lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed against the Westfield Sportsman's Club, Fleury and two other co-defendants for negligence. It was settled last month for about $700,000, but Fleury wasn't part of the settlement, Scapicchio said.
Bizilj said his family would use the money to set up a foundation for children's activities.
http://news.ca.msn.com/world/cp-article.aspx?cp-documentid=27144442
