Queens Woman Demands Answers In Husband's Death

NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- A Queens woman is demanding answers after her husband was killed during a mysterious altercation with two police officers in April.

On April 2nd Michael Murphy's car rear-ended a vehicle with two police officers -- Frankie Soler and Richard Pimental -- on their way to work at the 110th Precinct in Corona, Queens.

Murphy drove off and when the officers caught up to him, he came out with a baseball bat, CBS 2's Pablo Guzman reported.

Officer Soler punched Murphy, who went down to the ground and  died eight days later at Jamaica Hospital.

There are differing accounts of what occurred during the rest of the altercation.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Internal Affairs -- headed by Chief Charles Campisi -- investigated and cleared the officers.

"Investigation by Internal Affairs Bureau found no wrongdoing on the part of the officers," Kelly said.

The Medical Examiner's also officer told Guzman that Murphy's head injuries came when the man fell.

However, Murphy's widow Alane Avallone and her lawyer said they have witnesses who saw the officers hit Murphy with the bat and gave their names to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

"Spending eight days at Jamaica Hospital in the intensive care unit watching him die was devastating," Avallone said.

The woman's lawyer has filed suit against the officers and the city. In addition, investigators are looking into whether the officers acted in self defense or not.

Avallone spoke to Guzman from her parents' home in Florida on Tuesday saying she would be devastated if the officers were cleared of wrongdoing.

"I would...completely feel like I was let down by the justice system," Avallone said.

Avallone and her lawyer got a court order for the autopsy report to be turned over three weeks ago, but said they were still waiting for it.

Murphy's family acknowledged he may have been drinking on that night, but they said that until they are given the autopsy report, they wouldn't know for sure.