Witnesses testify in trial over fire that killed officer

The trial continued Tuesday for a teen accused of setting a fire that led to the death of an NYPD officer in 2014. Marcell Dockery is facing charges of second-degree murder, assault and arson. Prosecutors

News 12 Staff

Apr 27, 2016, 1:09 AM

Updated 3,055 days ago

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The trial continued Tuesday for a teen accused of setting a fire that led to the death of an NYPD officer in 2014.
Marcell Dockery is facing charges of second-degree murder, assault and arson. Prosecutors accuse him of setting a fire in a Coney Island apartment building on April 6, 2014.
Ultimately, the blaze killed Officer Dennis Guerra.
A large number of officers packed the courtroom as witnesses testified.
NYPD Lt. Charlton Telford was among those who took the stand. He was inside the building at 2007 Surf Ave. when two officers became trapped in the blaze.
He told the jury he had a "feeling of helplessness" as he heard Guerra and another officer, Rosa Rodriguez, calling for help. As News 12 has previously reported, emergency responders performed CPR on both officers, but Guerra later died. Rodriguez suffered severe injuries.
Another witness was the woman who made the initial 911 call after the fire broke out. She testified that Dockery banged on her apartment door to try and warn her of the flames.
Other evidence introduced Tuesday were photographs that prosecutors say show Dockery's hands after the fire.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
The trial will resume Thursday morning with more witness testimony. Jury deliberations are expected to begin next week.