July 26, 2007

JUDGE ORDERS HEARING ON KEY EYEWITNESS

Eyewitness Michael Dillon Changed Story
After Police Interviews Not Disclosed to Defense

Westchester County Judge Rory Bellantoni yesterday ordered a hearing for September 24, 2007, to determine whether the Dobbs Ferry Police coerced eyewitness Michael Dillon into changing his account of the events leading up to the shooting of Charles Campbell.

Dillon initially told reporters and police at the scene that Richard DiGuglielmo clearly shot Charles Campbell in self-defense, but changed his story 180 degrees at trial. He now says the police pressured him into altering his story, questioning him on several occasions and keeping him for hours. The defense argues that not only did police coerce Dillon into changing his story, but they did not disclose to the defense three interviews they conducted with Dillon on October 4, October 5 and October 6, 1996.

Judge Bellantoni will also review evidence that one of the jurors had an undisclosed criminal record, an obvious problem in a case involving a law-enforcement officer.

Read the Journal News story here.

Read the defense filings on these matters here.

To read about how Dillon's story changed over time, and to compare his statements at the scene and after being reinterviewed by the police, click here.