Police testify in Cranston murder case

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - On Thursday, police officers took the stand in the trial of Nicholas Gianquitti.

Gianquitti claims he acted in self-defense when he fired a fatal gun shot at his neighbor Lt. James Pagano.

Day three in the murder trial of the former Providence police officer Nicholas Gianquitti was filled with testimony from Cranston police officers.

Cranston police officer Christine Bolduc was one of the last people to see Pagano alive. Officer Bolduc was on duty last May when Pagano was shot on Daisy Court after a run-in with his neighbor.

Gianquitti shot Pagano after Pagano came over to his house and punched him during a fight over the way he talked to Pagano's child who hit his car with a ball while they were playing.

Defense attorneys say that Gianquitti was defending himself. But Officer Bolduc was called by the state to show that Pagano was shot in the back. The state says Pagano was leaving when he was shot.

"This is the imperfection on the belt. It also lines up with this hole right here inside his blue jeans," says Officer Bolduc.

"There was a blood spot and a few feet away there was a blood trail," says Detective Peter Souza who analyzed the crime scene.

Souza confirmed that two shots were fired one from inside the other outside.  The state argues that Gianquitti chased Pagano down his driveway to fire again. But Gianquitti lawyers say that can't be proven.