Sopranos Actor Arraigned For Police Shooting

Sopranos actor Lillo Brancato, Jr. and a co-defendant were arraigned Monday on charges of shooting a police officer who walked in on a burglary. Brancato, 29, and Steven Armento, 48, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, burglary and weapon possession before state Supreme Court Justice John Collins. Armento has been accused as the one who actually pulled the trigger; he was also charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Officer Daniel Enchautegui, who was shot while off duty on December 10th. Prosecutors say that Brancato and Armento said they had gone to a strip club before deciding to break into a Bronx apartment to search for prescription drugs. According to authorities, Brancato has said that Armento opened fire after Enchautegui identified himself as a police officer. "Lillo Brancato is not criminally responsible. Lillo Brancato did not have a weapon and did not know there was a weapon," said Mel Sachs, Brancato's lawyer. Neither lawyer requested bail.