Man Smiles After What He Did To Cop, Judge Wipes Smug Grin Off His Face

A New York teen who started a fire that killed one NYPD officer and injured another reportedly said he set the fire because he was “bored.”

Marcell Dockery, who was 16 at the time, was charged with murder in connection with a high-rise fire in Coney Island in 2014 that killed NYPD housing officer Dennis Guerra and injured his partner, Rosa Rodriguez.

Police say Dockery confessed to starting the fire, saying he did it because he was bored, according to WABC.

“The statements made are adamantly denied by my client,” said Jesse Young, Dockery’s attorney.

Dockery was found guilty on counts of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and fourth-degree arson. He has been sentenced to 19 years to life for the murder charge, 15 years in prison and five years probation on the assault charge, and 16 months to four years on the arson charge.

As part of a plea deal, Dockery was also sentenced to two years in prison in a February 2014 attempted robbery case.

Dockery’s sentences will run concurrently, according to WPIX.

Prosecutors say that after confessing to starting the fire by lighting a mattress, Dockery showed little remorse for what he did.

Dockery has since maintained his innocence and claimed he was coerced into giving a confession.

Guerra and Rodriguez responded to the fire, but were overcome by smoke and carbon dioxide in the elevator of the high-rise building. They were both unconscious when they were removed from the building.

Guerra died in the hospital days later. Rodriguez required a lung transplant and now has permanent health problems.

“She will never be the same,” said president of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Lynch. “This is a woman trying to rear her children. She can’t go to the end of her driveway without oxygen.”

Guerra had a wife and four children. His wife spoke in court about the pain of losing her husband. She said that her youngest son, who is 9 years old, is still suffering from anxiety and experiences sudden outbursts of anger and sadness due to the loss of his father.

Dockery faced Guerra’s family in court while impact statements were read.

“My son was a loving and caring person, a person that would go out of his way to help people just like he did in this incident,” said Guerra’s father, who is a retired police officer. “He didn’t have to buy it was in him. Me being a police officer also, he wanted me to be proud.”

Officers filled the seats at the courthouse. Joining them was Rodriguez.

Following Guerra’s death, police officials in New York City are putting new guidelines into place regarding the way officers respond to fires. They must now take the stairs, rather than use an elevator.

Sources: WABC, WPIX / Featured Image: Pixabay / Embedded Images: NYPD via WCBS, New York Daily News