By Thomas Tracy
The criminal court part set aside for the trial of Marlon Legere exploded in cheers and sighs of relief as the accused cop killer was found guilty on all charges.
Cops from the 67th Precinct as well as residents in East Flatbush spent Thursday, February 2, waiting on pins and needles as a jury deliberated on the Legeres fate.
Legere had been accused of gunning down Detectives Robert Parker and Patrick Rafferty as they tried to stop him from taking his mothers car back in September, 2004.
But after just six hours of deliberation, the jury of five women and seven men came back, finding Legere guilty of murder in the first degree, robbery and criminal mischief.
Legere is expected to be sentenced to life without parole on February 22.
The hulking ex-con was emotionless as he heard the verdict and was taken into custody.
Legere was charged with wresting the gun from one of the two detectives as they tried to pull him out of his mothers car the two seasoned officers outside of her home at 519 East 49th Street the afternoon of September 10.
Officials charged that as soon as Legere grabbed the detectives guns, he started blasting away, hitting both detectives.
Although shot, Rafferty managed to pull his pistol and fire back at Legere, striking him in the ankle.
Witnesses told police that Legere fled the scene after carjacking a minivan.
Police tracked him to 662 Brooklyn Avenue, where he was ultimately taken into custody.
Police said that the suspect, now 30, has been in and out of prison since the early 1990s for assault, sexual abuse and drug possession.
When the trial began nearly two weeks ago, among the witnesses to testify for the prosecution is Legeres mother Melvere, who described how her son killed both men.
The jury also heard the heart wrenching 911 call from the wounded and dying detectives, asking for help.
A total of 69 witnesses and sixty exhibits were used by the prosecution to prove Legeres guilt.
Legeres attorney claimed that his client did not know that the two men who confronted him were police officers and that he was merely defending himself.
During his time on the stand, Legere said matter-of-factly that he didnt know who the two men were that stopped him from driving off with his mothers car.
They should have pulled out their badges, he said coldly.
Legere testified that the two detectives were both alive when he fought them off and ran away. He claimed to hear gunfire behind him as he made his escape.
Thursdays verdict was celebrated by police officers as well as the family of the two detectives, who were considered foundations of the 67th Precinct Detective Squad.
Im just very thankful that the criminal justice system that my husband swore to uphold came back and supported him, the way it was designed to, Eileen Rafferty, widow of Detective Patrick Rafferty, told reporters.
