Forget that alleged cop killer Lillo Brancato co-starred in the 1993 movie “A Bronx Tale” with Robert De Niro.
As jury selection begins this week for Brancato’s co-defendant in the 2005 shooting, Detective Robert Korn called it more important to remember the victim.
“It gets me kind of heated that people are for more [concerned] for this kid because he came from a good family. So did Danny,” Korn said of his slain partner.
Daniel Enchautegui, 28, came from a working-class, Puerto Rican family, attended John Jay College while working two jobs, bought his aging parents a house, drove them to medical appointments, and made sure they took their medications, Korn said.
Brancato, 32, a Colombian kid adopted by an Italian-American family in Yonkers, was discovered on Jones Beach, cast as De Niro’s son, and was also in “The Sopranos.”
But he was addicted to drugs, authorities say. So, early on Dec. 10, 2005, he and Steven Armento, 51, allegedly broke an apartment window in Pelham Bay in hope of scoring Valium.
The off-duty Enchautegui, who lived next door, heard the glass shatter, investigated, shot both suspects multiple times, but took a shot in the heart from Armento.
Brancato insists he was just visiting a friend and was unarmed. Armento maintains that he fired only in self-defense.