After being indicted on charges that he killed his father and severely injured his mother, former UR student Christopher Porco will go to trial on June 26, according to the Times-Union of Albany.
Since the murder on Nov. 15, 2004, police and investigators have been unable to tie Porco to the crime scene through any forensic evidence. However, prosecutors have built a largely circumstantial case against him, claiming that Chris had stolen money from his father and fought with his mother over e-mail in the weeks and months leading up to the attack over a laptop that had been stolen.
In addition, a Bethlehem police sergeant and four paramedics claim that Joan Porco, while unable to speak on the morning of the attacks, was clear-headed and nodded “yes” to questions identifying Christopher as the assailant. She now has no memory of that action and has since claimed her son is innocent.
The jury selection is set to begin June 15, with a 3-day pre-trial hearing being held earlier in May to assess the evidence being submitted by the prosecutors. At these hearings, it will be determined whether or not Joan Porco’s alleged identification of Christopher will be heard by a jury.
The pre-trial hearing will also assess the admissibility of a videotape of the Bethlehem Police interrogating Porco, where Kindlon claims his client’s rights were violated.
Lastly, the judge at the pre-trial hearing will determine if acts that Porco has made in the past, including an allegation that he burglarized his Delmar home and one that he broke into the veterinarian’s office where he works, will be admissible in court.
Porco remains free on $250,000 cash bail.
According to the Times-Union, Porco and his lawyer Terrence Kindlon, will not provide an alibi during the June 26 trial. “I don’t think we’ll ever get to the question of alibi,” Kindlon told TU. “We don’t want to muddy the waters by presenting an alibi defense. It would open a Pandora’s Box.”
Despite the time difference between the event and now, students on campus still feel very emotional and close to the case, especially those who knew Porco here. “I haven’t thought about the case in awhile, but it’s obviously a major tragedy,” senior Paul Zito said. “I had met his parents once before, so I was pretty shocked when it happened.”Paret can be reached at eparet@campustimes.org
