Man Punches Lawyer

[TxDoc]

West Haven man punches lawyer after being convicted

March 12, 2002

Associated Press

 

MILFORD, Conn. -- A West Haven man who claims he was framed by a voodoo cult punched his lawyer in the face Monday, seconds after a jury convicted him of murder.

 

Nicholas Brunetti, 21, connected with a roundhouse hook that landed flush on the left side of the Vito Castignoli's face.

 

Castignoli suffered a black eye, but did not request medical attention.

 

A swarm of judicial marshals dragged Brunetti off to a holding cell, where he was restrained and handcuffed before being brought back into court.

 

A marshal was reportedly injured, but no details were available Monday.

 

Brunetti was convicted of murder in the bludgeoning death of Doris Crain. Her body was found lying face down in a grassy area behind Washington Magnet School in West Haven on June 24, 2000.

 

Brunetti is accused of beating Crain, then 35, with his hands and hit her six times in the head with a 40-ounce beer bottle after the two smoked marijuana and had sex behind the school.

 

Brunetti had testified that he was shown Crain's body by members of a cult group whom he had met at the school to smoke marijuana.

 

One of the individuals then brought Brunetti to a puddle of blood and instructed him to take off his clothes, dipping his pants in the blood as part of a voodoo ritual, Brunetti testified.

 

The violent outburst Monday drew a sharp rebuke from Judge William Holden, who immediately found Brunetti in contempt of court and sentenced him to six months in prison, a penalty that will run in addition to whatever prison time Brunetti receives on the murder conviction.

 

Holden also revoked Brunetti's bond, which had been set at $1 million.

 

Brunetti faces 5 years to life, defined as 60 years, in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 6.

 

Castignoli declined to comment on the verdict, except to say Brunetti "obviously got emotional."

 

Castignoli, who was hired by Brunetti's parents, was not sure whether he would continue representing Brunetti on appeal, which he said will almost certainly focus on the legality of a confession that police say Brunetti gave the same day Crain's body was discovered.

 

Despite the brief commotion, the verdict brought tears of joy to the victim's family members.

 

"If I can make it through this, I can make it through anything," Doris Crain's mother Mertie, 68, said outside the courthouse.