68-year-old Kenneth Chamberlain, Sr., who police say was brandishing a 12-inch kitchen knife, was confronted in his apartment after they took the door down.
[Ads /]
"Shoot me, come on", Chamberlain said, as officers told him to put the knife down.
After police say Chamberlain lunged at Sergeant Keith Martin, Officer Anthony Carelli fired the fatal shots. Taking the stand in a $21 million wrongful death suit, Officer Carelli was asked if he shot and killed Mr. Chamberlain. Carelli answered 'yes.'
"I have nothing to say to him, other than 'why did you shoot my father when you know you didn't have to?" said the victim's son, Kenneth Chamberlain, Jr.
Officer Carelli testified that he was ordered to be the 'lethal cover' as part of a special response team. When Sergeant Keith Martin testified two tasers and four bean bags fired from a shotgun failed to bring Chamberlain down, he came face-to-face with Chamberlain lunging with the knife.
"I don't believe I'd be standing here right now," Martin testified.
[Ads /]
He said Officer Carelli fired two shots.
"When the testimony is weighed, and all of the testimony is in, Sergeant Martin's story will not be believable," said Randolph McLaughlin.
Officer Carelli testified he 'charged Sergeant Martin with a knife in his hand." He said Sergeant Martin yelled 'knife, knife knife." Carelli then said 'I fired by duty weapon twice."
Kenneth Chamberlain later died. A Westchester County Grand Jury declined to indict Officer Carelli.