Lt. Robert Otto [left] |
for Bigtrial.net
On the witness stand, Lt. Robert Otto was asked to give his professional assessment of former Officer Thomas Liciardello.
"He is one of the finest, most dedicated police officers," said the white-haired veteran of 26 years. Of the thousands of officers he has known during his career, Lt. Otto said, Liciardello ranks in the top 5.
"He is the best police investigator I ever met," Otto told the jury.
In court today, Otto also praised the work of the other five defendants in the rogue cops case.
"They were very effective, very efficient, very honest," the lieutenant told the jury about the former members of the Narcotics Field Unit. "They were the best at what they did; there's no doubt about that."
He looked around the courtroom where the six former officers were sitting at several defense tables, accused by the federal government of conspiring to beat and rob drug dealers.
"And this here makes no sense to me," the lieutenant said.
In the spectator seats after the lieutenant got through testifying, a few female relatives of the defendants were crying.