Live Breaking News & Updates on Teaneck Board Of Education
Stay updated with breaking news from Teaneck board of education. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
he was indicted for a criminal offense, manslaughter. reporter: witnesses say the teen had his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender at the time of the shooting. thelma: it s proven evidence. he surrendered. that s murder. he just shot him when he gave up. paul: listen, this was a tragedy, but phillip was a kid who had a gun who shouldn t ve had a gun. gervonn: it just didn t fit the narrative of a young boy that grew up in this community. i mean, this was teaneck. walter: to me, the facts in the case are so obvious, at least in this instance. we re going to get justice (music) reporter: we reported this morning defense lawyer robert galantucci surprised everyone in the courtroom, especially the prosecution team, by calling the defendant himself to the stand. let s go to the courtroom now live, where gary spath is testifying in his own behalf. mike: we didn t know that gary spath would testify as the trial began. there was some concern on the part of spath s defens ....
courtroom for the trial of new jersey versus police officer gary spath. mike: it is extremely rare for police officers to be put on trial. this was a police officer who claimed he was doing his duty. and in the course of doing his duty, he was indicted for a criminal offense, manslaughter. reporter: witnesses say the teen had his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender at the time of the shooting. thelma: it s proven evidence. he surrendered. that s murder. he just shot him when he gave up. paul: listen, this was a tragedy, but phillip was a kid who had a gun who shouldn t ve had a gun. gervonn: it just didn t fit the narrative of a young boy that grew up in this community. i mean, this was teaneck. walter: to me, the facts in the case are so obvious, at least in this instance. we re going to get justice (music) reporter: we reported this morning defense lawyer robert galantucci surprised everyone in the courtroom, especially the prosecution team, by calling the defe ....
Caused people to finally realize that it didn t matter where you went in america. it was in the suburbs. it was in the place that america had deemed to be safe spaces. so, for me, it s part and parcel why this story is so important, because it was teaneck in 1990. it could be your community tomorrow. (music) natacha: some people in teaneck, i believe, are on the right side of history. when the teaneck board of education said, we re going to have a mural, i was like, okay, finally, after all these years, teaneck, new jersey is going to honor phillip pannell. (music) his name is not going to be in a parking lot on a mural. ....
It could be your community tomorrow. (music) natacha: some people in teaneck, i believe, are on the right side of history. when the teaneck board of education said, we re going to have a mural, i was like, okay, finally, after all these years, teaneck, new jersey is going to honor phillip pannell. (music) his name is not going to be in a parking lot on a mural. it s going to be at teaneck high school, the high school that he loved, the high school that he should have been able to graduate from. today is a positive day. thelma: yes, it is. natacha: today is a good day. because today teaneck, new jersey, has acknowledged that phillip pannell s life mattered. thelma: life mattered. (clapping) ....