NY - Christopher Porco - Another Menandez situation? - sentenced

[jannuncutt]

This appeared in today's Times Union blog on the case:

Horses Head Story Evidence? No Way Says Judge

July 26, 2006 at 1:46 pm by Rick Karlin
Christopher Porco’s defense lawyer Laurie Shanks tried to submit some unusual evidence on Wednesday: a front page story in the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper about a Wawayanda town councilwoman who found a severed horse’s head floating in her swimming pool on Tuesday. Trial Judge Jeffrey G. Berry said no, and Shanks withdrew her request
The request may have seemed odd, since Porco is on trial for a crime allegedly committed 100 miles away and this case is free of any equestrian overtones, but there was a point. Co-counsel Terence Kindlon has suggested that Peter Porco may have been the victim of a mob hit rather than an enraged son. He pointed to the ax used to kill Porco, which was found in his and wife Joan’s bed, as evidence. Leaving the ax could have been a signature, Kindlon earlier said, similar to the infamous scene in the movie ‘The Godfather’ in which a recalcitrant movie producer finds a horse’s head in his bed.
Had the newspaper story, with the headline “Horses Head in Her Pool,'’ been admitted as evidence, it might have boosted the defense’s contention that Peter Porco may have been killed as punishment for the transgressions of a mobbed-up relative, or by someone who was angered by a court decision that Peter, an appellate division law clerk, was involved in.

 

[hockeymom]

This appeared in today's Times Union blog on the case:

Horses Head Story Evidence? No Way Says Judge

July 26, 2006 at 1:46 pm by Rick Karlin
Christopher Porco’s defense lawyer Laurie Shanks tried to submit some unusual evidence on Wednesday: a front page story in the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper about a Wawayanda town councilwoman who found a severed horse’s head floating in her swimming pool on Tuesday. Trial Judge Jeffrey G. Berry said no, and Shanks withdrew her request
The request may have seemed odd, since Porco is on trial for a crime allegedly committed 100 miles away and this case is free of any equestrian overtones, but there was a point. Co-counsel Terence Kindlon has suggested that Peter Porco may have been the victim of a mob hit rather than an enraged son. He pointed to the ax used to kill Porco, which was found in his and wife Joan’s bed, as evidence. Leaving the ax could have been a signature, Kindlon earlier said, similar to the infamous scene in the movie ‘The Godfather’ in which a recalcitrant movie producer finds a horse’s head in his bed.
Had the newspaper story, with the headline “Horses Head in Her Pool,'’ been admitted as evidence, it might have boosted the defense’s contention that Peter Porco may have been killed as punishment for the transgressions of a mobbed-up relative, or by someone who was angered by a court decision that Peter, an appellate division law clerk, was involved in.

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard! How predictable. No defense,so make something atrocious up.They are really grasping on that one. If its a hit,don't they just keep it clean and shoot the person? And did the mob know the code to get in the house?
I think the jury should have heard that evidence about the horse head so they could laugh the defense out of the building.
I think Chris is going to prison,unless they can do better than that.Between the brother and the police testimony today,that is some pretty pwerful evidence,IMO

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard! How predictable. No defense,so make something atrocious up.They are really grasping on that one. If its a hit,don't they just keep it clean and shoot the person? And did the mob know the code to get in the house?

And they apparently also knew that the Porcos had an axe in their garage ... no need to bring a weapon along. Very mob-like to come empty-handed to the scene of a hit.

 

[SheerLuck]

This appeared in today's Times Union blog on the case:

Horses Head Story Evidence? No Way Says Judge

Jannucutt; anything is possible of course, but if this was a mob hit; it sure looks like the mob hired Chris Porco, to do the actual hit! I agree with others here, that the defense is just throwing a ridiculous angle out to the jury; an angle that has no real credibilty. And like Jersey Girl pointed out; they went to do a hit and used an axe from the garage; after entering the house empty handed? And if Kindlon really thought this "mob hit" theorey had any relevance; it's surprising he referred to Frank Porco as Freddie Porco 2 weeks ago. You'd think he'd at least gotten his name right. He also said he was his cousin, but Frank Porco was 24 years older. Maybe he was an uncle, but it sounds like Kindlon only recently got wind of this silly angle, which is why his facts are bungled. If you want to let your imagination run though; here's a bit about the mob angle(if Peter and Frank Porco are really related); according to Jerry Capeci; who's written several mafia history books; Frank "The Fireman" Porco was sentenced to a plea bargained 2 year prison term in 2003; for book making and money laundering. He's already served his sentence. He was a Capo in the New York City Bonanno crime family and received a reduced sentence by snitching on hire ups. I'm 99% sure Chris Porco is guilty; based mainly on the timeline, e-mails and his brutally cold emotions

 

[SheerLuck]

Today Detective Bowdish testified and most importantly told the prosectors; that Joan Porco nodded yes that her son Chris; attacked her and her husband. This was followed up by a ridiculously long 4 hour cross interrogation from Kindlons co-defense wife Laurie Shanks. WGY radio station said she spent 4 hours shredding the Bethlehem Police as being small time incompetent police officers and 4 hours trying to catch Bowdish in a lie. WGY did not say how Bowdish held up. I hope Bowdish appeared professional and honest. Does anyone know?

 

[SheerLuck]

Here's a crazy news story from today. The judge got mad at the prosecutors and went so far as to threaten a mistrial. Supposedly America has the best legal system, but the prosecutors are not supposed to ever attack the defendants charecter? This makes no sense to me, seems ridiculous; but maybe a lawyer could explain this? Here's news article and it centers around a statement that Porco's college friends said he was often heavily intoxicated, which led to him missing class(might explain his flunking out?) Hope link works

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=502934&category=LIFE&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/26/2006

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

It seems that the problem with the question about Christopher's drinking is that there was no admissible proof to back up that kind of statement. Apparently that question was based on a questionairre that was circulated amongst 300-400 students at the college but those questionairres are inadmissible. Here's a bit from the article:

Assistant District Attorney David Rossi also drew Berry's ire.
(Defense attorney) Shanks had mentioned a questionnaire circulated among 300 to 400 students at the University of Rochester, where Christopher attended college. None of the students responded to a particular question by saying Christopher used drugs, but Rossi argued that alcohol is a drug and the subject was open to exploration following Shanks' question.
"Isn't it true that most of the kids said that Chris was drunk all the time and never went to class?" Rossi asked Bowdish.
"Yes, they did," he responded.
Shanks made the defense's third motion for a mistrial, after jurors cleared the room, based on an accusation of prosecutorial misconduct for posing the question in front of jurors. Berry declined the motion, but ordered the comments struck from the record and threatened to "push the button" and declare a mistrial if other such scathing questions are asked without admissible proof to back them up.
The questionnaires are inadmissible as evidence at trial.

The Record - Detective grilled at Porco murder trial

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

It's extremely interesting, SheerLuck, the information you've brought up about the mob connection in the family. I hope that the following snippet from an article is true. As much as I dislike Christopher from all the things that we've read, it would be terrible to think that an innocent person has gone to jail. I, myself, am 99.9% sure that Christopher did this:

- His disregard for his immoral & illegal actions regarding the loans and his theft of his mother's computer that he later sold on e-bay
- His continuous excuses that always make things everyone else's fault
- His many, many lies
- The story about parking on the grass next to the dorm so that he could help his aunt mulch the next morning when the aunt hadn't spoken to him for two months prior
- The fact that a master code was used to deactivate the alarm that night
- The missing gas from the car that Christopher claims he hadn't driven that much after filling up on November 13th
- The fact that the murder weapon was something obtained from the house
- The idea that he was jogging even though no one had ever known him to jog
- The claims that he had tried to contact his parents by phone several times that morning but there being no phone records of the calls
- Christopher mentioning information about the alarm system to his minister at the hospital even though LE had not mentioned anything about the alarm to Christopher; etc.

Even though the mob connection is something that should have been looked into, I think that Christopher did this himself. Anyway, here's that snippet:

"Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael McDermott sought to dispel the defense's mob theory by noting that the Frank Porco connection as well as other leads about possible grudges against the Porcos, were extensively pursued."

The Record - Detective grilled at Porco murder trial

And here's the part again about the alarm system:

"He (Christopher Porco) said the alarm was either disabled or not functioning," (Porco's former youth minister) Catalano said, adding that Porco complained about how Bethlehem police had treated him, including accusing him of the crime.

Outside the jury's presence, McDermott said police never discussed the couple's alarm system with Christopher Porco.

Porco's whereabouts called into question -- Page 2 -- Times Union - Albany NY

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I hadn't seen some of this before. I thought that the lounge was some distance from the actual rooms, maybe on a different floor but apparently it's connected to the bedrooms:

Porco's whereabouts called into question -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

... The following morning, Porco was in the lounge after 8:30 a.m. as students began to wake up in the large dormitory, which had four suites surrounding the lounge.

"He looked upset," said Eric Culverwell, 22, another fraternity brother. "I asked what was wrong and he said he was tired and had been up all night..."

The Record - Lawyers wrangle over gas

... Christopher had volunteered to let a visiting fraternity director use his bed that night and opted to sleep in the dormitory lounge...

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

More about the alarm conversation and interesting stuff about the interrogation video:

...Christopher already knew that the alarm system ... had been disabled, said Catalano, but defense attorney Laurie Shanks insisted that Christopher learned that from detectives who had interrogated him for nearly seven hours.

Albany County Chief Assistant (DA) Michael McDermott said that police said nothing to Christopher about whether the alarm had been deactivated beyond mention of the home's severed phone line...

The issue is that the tape of the interrogation was thrown out as evidence ...

McDermott argued that the tape would have to become admissible if mention of the interrogation emerged in witness testimony. The tape would be necessary for prosecutors to rebut claims that police had told Christopher about the alarm, said McDermott.

Berry allowed testimony by Catalano regarding the police questioning of Christopher and maintained, for the time being, that the tape is inadmissible...

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Somewhat amusing regarding Kindlon's requests for a mistrial. Apparently this is a regular thing for him. I guess it never hurts to give it a try:

Capital News 9 | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES | Jurors listen to opening statements | Jurors listen to opening statements

... defense attorney Terence Kindlon asked the judge to declare a mistrial after the prosecution paraphrased conversations between Christopher Porco and his murdered father, Peter, because Peter can't testify as to what he actually said. The judge denied the request.

"Ah...every trial Terry does that," McDermott said.

"Well, I have a habit of moving for a mistrial," Kindlon rationalized...

 

[SheerLuck]

Hey Jersey Girl: great detective work. The prosecution team could use your mystery solving abilities. Very interesting about the alarm and how Chris knew about it before he was ever told. As for Frank Porco; I guess I beat the Times Union to the punch by posting about him last night. He was investigated by state police and was found to be completely disconnected. Keep in mind also that the past 4 years has seen 100's of the 5 mafia families go to jail as they've been crushed badly by law enforcemnt. They all have silly nicknames and I'm sure the fireman nickname is just a coincidence. Delma r had an unrelated ax muder the previous month before the Porco crime. I'd guess; most likely Chris heard about that murder and thats where he got the idea. Oh and hey; Jersey Girl; I agree totally with your entire list of reasons why you think he did the crime. I'd add also to the list something else that I find extremely troubling:he continues to drive the yellow jeep; even though it is at the heart of the entire case. Any normal person would have sold it and bought something else; even any other jeep would be fine because why would Chris Porco want to be so noticeable; to town residents by driving the yellow jeep? He's got to know that people in Delmar/Bethlehem that see a yellow jeep coming down the road; will wonder if it's him. Do sociopaths want dimented celebrity status?

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Do sociopaths want dimented celebrity status?

It's been a LONG time since school so I pulled up this Q&A about antisocial personality disorder from the Mayo Clinic:

Antisocial personality disorder - MayoClinic.com

What makes someone a sociopath?

The terms "sociopath" and "psychopath" are sometimes used to describe an individual with anti-social personality disorder. People with anti-social personality disorder show a chronic lack of concern for the rules and expectations of society, and repeatedly violate the rights of others.

The exact cause of anti-social personality disorder isn't known. However, genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Anti-social personality disorder occurs more often in men than in women.

Signs and symptoms typically appear in childhood and may include bedwetting, cruelty to animals and pyromania. Teens and adults with anti-social personality disorder may:

- repeatedly break the law
- display reckless or impulsive behavior
- exhibit persistent irritability and aggressive behavior
- repeatedly lie to and manipulate others
- be unable to sustain long-term relationships
- show consistent irresponsibility, such as failing to pay bills or hold a steady job
- abuse alcohol or drugs
- show little or no remorse for their actions

Anti-social personality disorder is difficult to treat. Group counseling may help some people. Treatment of coexisting conditions, such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse, is also important and may improve some symptoms of anti-social personality disorder.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

There's a ton of information on sociopaths & psychopaths on these threads on a different case:

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - What personality factors might have contributed to this senseless crime?

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - Profiles of a Sociopath - Raven

Includes the following. This seems to be specifically about cult leaders but the same personality traits apply across the board:

Profile of a Sociopath

A number of mind-manipulating cult leaders may exhibit many of the behavioral characteristics of a sociopath--an outstanding ability to charm and seduce followers. Since they appear apparently normal, they are not easily recognizable as deviant or disturbed.Although only a trained professional can make a diagnosis, it is important to be able to recognize the personality type in order to avoid further abuse. These traits also apply to a one-on-one cultic relationship.

1. Glibness/Superficial Charm
Language can be used without effort by them to confuse and convince their audience. Captivating storytellers that exude self-confidence, they can spin a web that intrigues others. Since they are persuasive, they have the capacity to destroy their critics verbally or emotionally.

2. Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They dominate and humiliate their victims.

3. Grandiose Sense of Self
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right." Craves adulation and attendance. Must be the center of attention with their own fantasies as the "spokesman for God," "enlightened," "leader of humankind," etc. Creates an us-versus-them mentality

4. Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and able to pass lie detector tests.

5. Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

6. Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion, it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

7. Incapacity for Love
While they talk about "God's love" they are unable to give or receive it. Since they do not believe in the genuineness of their followers' love, they are very harsh in testing it from their devotees and expect them to feel guilt for their failings. Expects unconditional surrender.

8. Need for Stimulation
Living on the edge, yet testing the beliefs of their followers with bizarre rules, punishments and behaviors. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal.

9. Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them. Their skills are used to exploit, abuse and exert power. Since the follower cannot believe their leader would callously hurt them, they rationalize the behavior as necessary for their (or the group's) own "good" and deny the abuse. When devotees become aware of the exploitation it feels like a "spiritual rape" to them.

10. Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others. The followers only see them as near perfect.

11. Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency
Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc.

12. Irresponsibility/Unreliability
Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blame their followers or others outside their group. Blame reinforces passivity and obedience and produces guilt, shame, terror and conformity in the followers.

13. Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity
Totalist leaders frequently practice promiscuity, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts. This is usually kept hidden from all but the inner circle. Stringent sexual control of their followers, such as forced breakups and divorces, removal of children from parents, rules for dating, etc.

14. Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future. Many groups claim as their goal world-domination or other utopian promises. Great contrast between the leader's opulent lifestyle and the followers' impoverishment. Support by gifts and donations from the followers who are pressured to give through fear and guilt. Highly sensitive to their own pain and health.

15. Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image and that of the group as needed to avoid prosecution and to increase income and to recruit a range of members. Is able to adapt or relocate as needed to preserve the group. Can resurface later with a new name, a new front group and a new twist on the scam.

http://home.datawest.net/esn-recovery/artcls/socio.htm

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Do sociopaths want dimented celebrity status?

Many of them do but I don't know if that is the antisocial personality or if that's a touch of another personality disorder - perhaps histrionic personality or narcissism.

Psychology Today's Diagnosis Dictionary: Narcissistic Personality Disorder

An individual with narcissistic personality disorder exhibits extreme self-importance, inability to empathize with others and heightened sensitivity to criticism. Self-involvement and lack of empathy characterize this personality disorder.

People with narcissistic personality disorder are frequently perfectionists and need to be the center of attention, receiving affection and admiration, and controlling the situation. To get the attention he craves, he may try to create crises that return the focus to him. Like patients with antisocial personality disorder, this person places entitlement issues at the fore. He feels that the world owes him, regardless of whether he makes a contribution...

Symptoms

• Overreacts to criticism, becoming angry or humiliated
• Uses others to reach goals
• Exaggerates own importance
• Entertains unrealistic fantasies about achievements, power, beauty, intelligence or romance
• Has unreasonable expectation of favorable treatment
• Needs constant attention and positive reinforcement from others
• Is easily jealous

 

[LovelyPigeon]

Peter Porco's death detailed
Coroner's physician says murder victim remained alive for a few hours after receiving 16 blows from ax

By RICK KARLIN, Staff writer
Last updated: 5:02 p.m., Thursday, July 27, 2006
GOSHEN -- Peter Porco sustained 16 serious blows from a sharp, heavy instrument, including one that penetrated his skull and another that took off part of his jaw when he was attacked in November 2004.

Nonetheless, he almost certainly survived for a few hours, said Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard, a pathologist and Albany County coroner's physician.

``There are no injuries here that are instantly or rapidly fatal,'' Hubbard said Thursday at the Porco trial. ``The survival here could have been many hours.''

Hubbard's testimony echoed the theory by prosecutors that, in the minutes or hours following the attack, Peter Porco went through his morning routine as if he were getting ready for work, unaware that he had been mortally wounded with an ax or that his wife Joan Porco lay bleeding in their bed. The testimony also drove home, in stark visual terms, the violence with which Peter Porco was attacked. --->> http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=503298&category=&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/27/2006

Peter Porco got up from bed after being axed and "went through his morning routine" before dying? (I haven't followed the trial day by day, but this was flabbergasting!)

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Psychology Today: Why Kids Kill Parents

... Such an act, though thought uncommon, is almost a daily event in the United States...

An in-depth analysis of the FBI Supplementary Homicide Report for this period shows that, in the great majority of cases, the child who killed was a white male...
Who Kills Their Parents?

There are three types of individuals who commit parricide. One is the severely abused child who is pushed beyond his or her limits. Another is the severely mentally ill child. And the third is the darling of the tabloids, the dangerously antisocial child...

There are those few children who seem to kill without any remorse, yet whose parents seem to be loving and kind. The dangerously antisocial child is often the fodder of newspaper headlines. These juvenile offenders typically exhibit a conduct disorder--severely disruptive behavior that continues for over six months. These are the kids who kill their parents merely for some sort of instrumental, selfish end--never having to ask before borrowing the car again, for instance...

 

[Mellen]

Reading the emails between father and son was so sad. His Dad would have done anything to help him, but all Chris wanted to do was cheat and steal. Worst of all, it seems like his Dad even would have been willing to pay for school ("I still think I will be better off credit wise if we simply give you or advance you the money, if you insist on repaying."), but Chris wanted to pay it himself -- pretending to want to be responsible when really he knew it would make it possible for him to have a reason to open lines of credit in his father's name. Just horrifying.

I was somewhat surprised his Dad was so willing to send the SSN#, Driver's lic. #, and proof of employment info. to Chris. I'm pretty sure my attorney father would have wanted to deal with the bank or school directly himself at the point when so much of his personal information was needed.

 

[LovelyPigeon]

How is this discrepancy explained?:

Monday, July 24, 2006
Johnathan Porco, 25, was called to testify by the prosecution...
Johnathan, who is a lieutenant on a U.S. Navy submarine, also described for the court the layout of his family's 36 Brockley Drive home -- the three bedrooms upstairs, the basement where the family dog, Barrister, would sometimes sleep and the attached garage. He also spoke of the alarm system in the house, which had a code known only by a few people. - http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=502221&category=&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=7/24/2006

Thursday, July 27, 2006
Albany County Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael McDermott said, "Well, why wouldn't we find Chris Porco's fingerprints anyplace else in the house? That's the only place that they were found. It's the door that the assailant had to close because the dog didn't close the door behind himself, and the Porcos never kept the dog downstairs. - http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=187042&SecID=33

Didn't the prosecution's own witness, Johnathan Porco, testify under oath that the dog was sometimes kept in the basement?

 

[SheerLuck]

Many of them do but I don't know if that is the antisocial personality or if that's a touch of another personality disorder - perhaps histrionic personality or narcissism.

Psychology Today's Diagnosis Dictionary: Narcissistic Personality Disorder

An individual with narcissistic personality disorder exhibits extreme self-importance, inability to empathize with others and heightened sensitivity to criticism. Self-involvement and lack of empathy characterize this personality disorder.

Interesting links Jersey Girl. I never took any psychology, but had read up a little on sociopaths because very early into the investigation I was told the police felt they were dealing with a sociopath. It seems like a lot of these diseases are a bit similiar. I don't know Chris Porco, but it sounds like he falls into a few of these categories. What worries me about the verdict though is; how does the prosecution explain to the jury anything about the symptoms of being a sociopath. A lot of people who don't understand these diseases(like me before the Porco case); might have a hard time believing that a son could do this to his parents.