GREENFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Jurors in the vehicular homicide trial of a former Massachusetts police sergeant are scheduled to resume Monday in Franklin Superior Court.
The defense and prosecution made their final statements in the trial of former Greenfield Sgt. James Rode on Friday and the jury deliberated for about a half hour before being sent home for the weekend, The Recorder of Greenfield reported.
According to authorities, Rode was on duty and responding to a report of an erratic driver shortly after 8 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2017, when the cruiser he was driving collided with a car driven by James Arcellana, 29, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire.
Arcellana died three days later of blunt force trauma to the head.
According to testimony, Rode was driving more than 64 mph at the time of impact in a cruiser that was marked but had no lights on the roof. The prosecution said Arcellana could not have seen the cruiser due to the obstructive bushes.
Rode had no need to respond at high speeds since several other officers were also responding, the prosecution said.
Rode’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, said Arcellana had a clear view and ran a stop sign.
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