Dash Cam Video Played In Ex-Cop Cover Up Trial
FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The jury seated in the trial of a former Hollywood police officer accused of 'fixing' a report to cover for a fellow officer who was involved in an accident got to see first hand at least part of what he is accused of doing.
During Wednesday proceedings, they watched a dash cam video in which former cop Dewey Pressley, 45, told other officers he would do 'a little Walt Disney' to shift blame from the officer to the woman he hit.
Pressley is charged with four counts of official misconduct, four counts of falsifying records and one count each of conspiracy to commit official misconduct and conspiracy to falsify records, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
The accident happened February 2009 when officer Joel Francisco rear ended a car driven by then 23-year old Alexandra Torrens-Villa on Sheridan Street.
Torrens-Villa was arrested and charged with four counts of drunk driving. While seated in the back of a patrol car, she reportedly heard Pressley discussing how he shift the blame to her.
"We'll do a little Walt Disney protect the cop because it wouldn't have mattered because she is drunk anyway," Pressley was recorded saying by car's dash cam.
On Tuesday, Pressley's lawyer said his client was the real victim of a conspiracy and the statements heard on the dash cam were just 'huffing and bragging'. Attorney Rhea Grossman said Pressley's report of the accident was based on the information provided to him at the scene.
In his report, Pressley wrote that a large cat which had been sitting in Torrens-Villas lap jumped out of the window. He wrote that the motion distracted her and she veered into Francisco's lane and braked, causing the Francisco to run into her.
Torrens-Villas said she stopped on Sheridan St. after her cat had jumped out of the window. When she got out to look for the cat, Francisco rear ended her car.
When Torrens-Villas' lawyer got the dash cam recordings released in July, all charges against her were dropped.
The following January, Pressley and Francisco were criminally charged and fired from the force. Three others involved in the cover up, including a crime scene technician and a sergeant, though not criminally charged were also fired.
Francisco has also been charged with misconduct. His trial will be held at a later date.
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