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"Bored" Teen Convicted Of Murder In Mattress Arson That Killed Cop
By
Jen Chung
Published May 6, 2016
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 6, 2016
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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The Brooklyn teenager accused of lighting a mattress on fire in his Coney Island building's hallway, which killed a police officer, was found guilty of murder and arson yesterday. District Attorney Ken Thompson said, "Police Officers Guerra and Rodriguez showed great courage when they rushed into that building to save the lives of others. Tragically, Officer Guerra lost his life and his partner suffered severe and permanent life-threatening injuries—all because the defendant was bored and set a mattress on fire, and did so despite being clearly warned about the dangers of setting fires."
Marcell Dockery was 16 when he was arrested for the April 6, 2014 blaze. Police Officers Rosa Rodriguez, 36, and Dennis Guerra, 38, responded to the 911 call about the fire on the 13th floor of 2007 Surf Avenue, a NYC Housing Authority building. The pair got on an elevator and went to the 13th floor, and when the doors opened, they were overcome by smoke. Guerra died, while Rodriguez spent months in the hospital and eventually needed a lung transplant.
Prosecutors pointed to a videotaped confession that Dockery made, but he testified he was coerced, "They told me they would evict my family if I didn't say the truth... They said I was cold hearted and my family would love on the streets for the rest of their lives if I didn't tell the truth." Dockery maintained that he was trying to save lives by alerting others to the fire.
The jury reached a decision in less than four hours. The Post reports, "As a stonefaced Dockery was led out of the courtroom by officers, he mouthed 'don’t worry' to his family, who sat in a single row in the back of the courtroom, largely obscured by the many cops who packed the courtroom every day of the two-week trial."
After the incident, the NYPD formally "issued mandatory protocols for officers entering buildings in response to fires," specifically recommending officers take the stairs and inspect for smoke; if they take an elevator, they are instructed to get off two floors below the fire.
Tagged
brooklyn
coney island
fire
mattress fire
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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