Watch CBS News

NYPD Officer Appears In Court In Deadly Brooklyn Road Rage Shooting

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An NYPD officer appeared in court Tuesday on charges that he shot and killed a man in a road rage incident in Brooklyn last year.

As CBS2's Reena Roy reported, Officer Wayne Isaacs was quiet and reserved as he entered a courtroom in Brooklyn Supreme Court to face a judge.

Isaacs is accused of shooting and killing Delrawn Small, 37, on July 4 of last year. Family members said Small was with his girlfriend and children celebrating the Fourth of July holiday when they stopped at a friend's barbershop on Atlantic Avenue in East New York.

Police said at some point Small and Isaacs, who was off duty and driving his personal vehicle, were involved in a traffic dispute. When both cars stopped at a red light, Isaacs and claimed Small got out of his vehicle and punched him in the head through an open window.

That was when police said Isaacs pulled out his service weapon and shot three times, killing Small.

"We need him to be sentenced to do prison time, and a hefty amount of it," said Small's bother, Victor Dempsey.

Small's family begged for justice at the pretrial hearing nearly after he was shot and killed.

"I believe justice will be done," said Small's wife, Wenona Small. "Mr. Isaac will pay for his actions."

Surveillance video at the center of the argument for both the defense and prosecution shows the deadly confrontation, with Small appearing to stumble and collapse the moment he walks up to the of-duty officer's car.

While Isaacs said Small punched him first, Small's family does not believe it.

"I know he blatantly lied. We all know he blatantly lied," Dempsey said. "There's no way of getting around it."

On Tuesday, two officers and an EMT took the stand. All three witnesses responded to the Atlantic Avenue shooting and spoke to Isaacs that night, saying he told them he had been punched and had pain in his lip and jaw.

The judge will soon rule whether Isaacs' statements were voluntary.

"We now have medical testimony that he was assaulted by an individual," said defense attorney Stephen Worth. "Should he sit there and continue to be assaulted or should he defend himself?"

"We look to the trial for all the pieces to be put together," said family attorney Sanford Rubenstein. "Today was simply a piece of the puzzle."

The case was adjourned until September. That is when hearings will continue and more witnesses will be called to the stand before the trial begins.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.