Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By JOHN HILL
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The prosecution and the defense laid out their cases this morning on the first day of the trial of James D. Proulx, who is charged with hitting and critically injuring an off-duty state trooper after a confrontation in downtown Providence in June 2007.

Assistant Attorney General Stacey Veroni told the jury that the state would prove that Proulx was a reckless joy rider who, when confronted by an off-duty trooper doing his duty, viciously struck the trooper and nearly killed him. Proulx, 38, who was a state correctional officer from 1990 to 2000, is facing a felony charge of assault against Trooper Brendan Doyle.

But defense lawyer William C. Dimitri described a different version of that night. While not justifying his client's driving or his behavior on June 16, 2007, he said that Doyle did not show a badge when he approached Proulx's car and that Proulx, fearing for his safety, defended himself from what was to him an unidentified attacker.

The morning began with a bus tour for the jurors, who were driven up Pine Street from McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon to the intersection of Dorrance Street, where the incident had begun. The bus stopped in a parking lot at the intersection for several minutes. At one point, Veroni and Dimitri got out and stood at two points at the intersection before returning to the bus.

The police said Doyle was off-duty and leaving McFadden's restaurant that night at around 2 a.m. when he saw a car speeding down a street clogged with pedestrians and traffic.

 Tags  James D. Proulx Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia Providence RI

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