Opinion ID: 2823222
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Testimony of Trooper Edward Viera

Text: Trooper Viera’s testimony was largely consistent with the testimony of Trooper Washington regarding the night of defendant’s arrest. Trooper Viera testified that, in the early morning hours of January 31, 2012, he was riding as a passenger in the vehicle driven by Trooper Washington on West Main Road. Trooper Viera stated that, at around 1:22 a.m., Trooper Washington pointed out two people, whom Trooper Viera later described as “standing in the street.” To Trooper Viera the pair appeared to be “engaged in a physical altercation;” he said that “[i]t appeared they had hold of each other’s shirt in the front and were like moving around in a type of scuffle.” Trooper Viera testified that, as the troopers in the police car approached the pair, it appeared that the two individuals “were hugging.” 6 On recross-examination, Trooper Washington noted that, although Trooper Viera “released the pressure,” he did not release the arm bar; and Trooper Washington added that Trooper Viera still had physical control over defendant. -6- Trooper Viera next testified that the troopers proceeded to pull up to the two persons, and Trooper Viera observed that one of them was a man and the other was a woman. He next stated that he had “no sooner closed the door    when the    male party stepped back from the female and threw his hands in the air and demanded to be taken away.”7 When asked to describe what happened next, Trooper Viera testified that defendant was “screaming loud[ly] and boisterously, [in a] tumultuous manner, [a] violent manner.” Trooper Viera specifically stated that defendant called both troopers “motherfuckers,” told the two troopers that they “weren’t shit,” and told the troopers that they “couldn’t do anything to him.” It was at that time, Trooper Viera testified, that he put defendant in what he described as a “restraint.” Trooper Viera stated that he “took [defendant] into control, forced him across the hood of the cruiser to get him to calm down and gained control of him.” According to his testimony, Trooper Viera did so because he believed that “at [that] point [defendant] was in such an agitated state, he was either getting ready to run or fight;” the trooper added that his belief in that regard was “based on [his] training [and] experience.” Trooper Viera next testified that, after having been restrained by the troopers, defendant began calling the troopers “motherfuckers,” “queers,” and “fags;” he added that defendant then “threatened to kick [the troopers’] asses.” In addition, Trooper Viera testified, defendant “threatened to kill [the troopers].” At that point, Trooper Viera testified, he had “heard enough, seen enough;” and he handcuffed defendant, placing him under arrest for disorderly conduct. Trooper Viera’s testimony then turned to the details of how he had first restrained and then arrested defendant. Trooper Viera confirmed that, when he placed defendant in the arm bar, he was not under arrest. Trooper Viera further testified that he tried to “de-escalate the 7 In the course of his testimony at trial, Trooper Viera identified defendant as the “male party” whom he observed at the time in question. -7- situation,” telling defendant to “shut up” and “calm down,” but he stated that it “didn’t do any good.” It was Trooper Viera’s testimony that, after he released his grip “a little bit,” defendant “continued to scream and move in a tumultuous and violent manner.” Trooper Viera next testified that, after defendant was placed in handcuffs and put into the back seat of the police cruiser, he “continued to scream and rant,” including threatening the troopers. Trooper Viera’s testimony in that regard was as follows: “[H]e just wouldn’t shut up. He called us both niggers, threatened to kill both of us. Not only did he threaten[] to kill both of us, he threatened to kill our families too, just continually ranted.” Trooper Viera further testified that he believed that the just-referenced utterances were directed at both Trooper Washington and himself because both troopers were in the car with defendant. Finally, Trooper Viera stated that he felt threatened and provoked by defendant at the time defendant was placed under arrest.8 On cross-examination, Trooper Viera testified that, at the beginning of his encounter with defendant, he walked towards defendant, who “took a step back.” Trooper Viera characterized that step back as a “defensive posture” and a “defensive stance.” Trooper Viera also stated that the “first thing [defendant] did was call[] [the troopers] motherfuckers[.]” After that, Trooper Viera testified, defendant said to the troopers that they could not “do shit” to him. Trooper Viera 8 The relevant exchange between the prosecutor and Trooper Viera proceeded as follows: “Q    [I]f you could please tell us what [defendant] said to you before you placed him in the arm bar? “A    At the time I asked him for some identification, he told me, ‘come get it from me.’ And it’s at that point he proceeded to call us motherfuckers, queers. It was at that point that he was placed under arrest. “Q Did you feel threatened? “A Yes. “Q Did you feel provoked? “A Yes, I did.” -8- conceded that it was at that point in time that he took “physical control” of defendant, before any threat to either trooper was made. Trooper Viera also testified that, while in the police cruiser during transport, defendant “threatened to kick [the troopers’] asses.” Trooper Viera added that defendant had accused Trooper Washington and himself of trying to take him into the woods and kill him and that, “before [defendant] would let [the troopers] do that, he would kill [them] first[.]” Finally, Trooper Viera acknowledged that, when defendant threatened the troopers’ families, he did not indicate how he planned to carry out that threat.