A former rookie NYPD officer was acquitted of murder in the 2020 shooting death of his childhood friend during a heated argument.
Errick Allen, 30, was freed Thursday after a jury found him guilty only of making threats during the shooting of his friend Christopher Curro, 25.
Allen was off-duty when he opened fire on Curro on Long Island, and prosecutors argued he killed his grade school friend ‘execution style’ by shooting him five times in the head, neck and arm.
However, his defense successfully countered that Curro had provoked Allen and attempted to grab his NYPD-issued gun during a confrontation, calling the shooting a “classic case of self-defense.”
Former rookie NYPD officer Errick Allen was acquitted of murder Thursday in the 2020 shooting death of his childhood friend.
Christopher Curro was 25 years old when he was shot and killed, said to have been sparked by a heated argument with Allen.
Allen had faced 25 years behind bars while on trial for more than five weeks before the jury acquitted him Thursday of manslaughter and murder charges.
Because the shooting involved a police officer, he was prosecuted by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office, which presented evidence that the two men had been texting each other in a furious argument before the shooting. .
The two men had grown up on the same block in North Massapequa, Long Island, and had been friends since attending Albany Avenue Elementary School as children.
At trial, the jury heard that Curro’s parents were frustrated by his marijuana use while he was not attending school or working long hours at his pizza delivery job, and kicked him out of their home in November 2019. news day reported.
This led him to want to cut ties with his family, however the family kept in contact with Allen regularly as they were concerned about Curro’s mental health, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic began.
However, the friends had a heated argument about this dynamic when Curro became upset that Allen had been sharing his text messages with his family, according to trial testimony.
Text messages shown at the trial showed the two friends had furiously insulted each other, leading them to arrange a meeting on Langdon Road.
According to prosecutors, Allen then shot Curro execution-style twice in the head, twice in the neck and once in the arm, which Allen’s attorney said was triggered by Curro trying to steal the gun. Glock firearm issued by the New York police.
Authorities accompanied Allen to court after his arrest in May 2020
The trial heard Curro (pictured) had argued with Allen after his parents kicked him out for his excessive marijuana addiction, and was upset that Allen remained in contact with them.
Curro’s family said they were angry and “very surprised” by the verdict, and enraged because “what (the jury) did is very unfair.”
Allen had been locked up since his indictment in August 2021, and because the threatened sentence only carries a maximum sentence of one year, he was released on Thursday when his time was served.
Allen had served only seven months on the NYPD when the shooting occurred. He was initially arrested in May 2020 and released on bail before being indicted by a grand jury in August 2021 on charges of murder, manslaughter and menacing.
Although he had initially been out on bail, he was hit by restrictions on his movement and living situation after a “mental breakdown” and suicide attempt in November 2020.
After the verdict, Curro’s family was seen with their heads in their hands, shocked by the former police officer’s acquittal.
Curro’s mother said she was angry and “very surprised” by the verdict, noting that her son was unarmed when he was shot to death.
“Chris didn’t have any weapons,” he said. news day. ‘My son only used his words, he did not use his weapons and he did not use his hands.
“What they (the jury) did is very unfair,” he said.
Curro’s niece, Rosa Maiorino, became enraged that “the system failed us and said ‘Errick will be able to go home and celebrate Easter,’ before Curro’s mother intervened: “And my son is dead.”
When Allen was released, his stepfather Kyle Savas said, “This has shaken my family and I also understand that a life was lost here.” I hope everyone can begin to heal. “I hope the Curro family can find peace.”