Addison's Attorney Admits Client's Guilt

About 60 Manchester police officers lined the entrance to the court house Monday morning.

They stood rigidly with their hands clasped behind their backs as members of the Briggs family walked up the front path.

It was two years ago last week that Michael Briggs was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Inside the courtroom, Judge Kathleen McGuire instructed the jurors to ignore any media reports about the Addison case.

She also told the 12 jurors and 6 alternates to avoid media reports on the state's other capital murder case.

That one ended last week in a guilty verdict for millionaire John Brooks.

That jury must now decide whether or not Brooks will be executed.

Michael Addison’s Defense attorney David Rothstein opened with what seemed a dramatic admission.

ROTHSTEIN: With this gun, without any justification, he took Officer Briggs's life. Michael Addison and only Michael Addision is responsible for Officer Briggs's tragic death.

Rothstein soon after qualified that admission.

ROTHSTEIN: But,…..Michael Addison wasn't thinking about shooting anybody. He fired a single shot, he did not aim, he did not stop. He was in constant motion. Officer Briggs was in constant motion.

That shooting, Rothstein said, was fast, unplanned, and ended in terrible tragedy.

It was not, he said, capital murder, but second degree murder, characterized by recklessness and extreme indifference to the value of Briggs's life.

But Attorney General Kelly Ayotte painted a different picture.

She pointed out that Addison’s friend, Antoine Bell Rogers had obeyed when Officer Briggs commanded the two to stop.

Briggs and his partner John Breckenridge had warrants for their arrests.

Ayotte: The defendent, he didn't stop. He also didn't run. He just kept on walking. As Mike Briggs got closer to him, he said, Stop, Police!, a second time. The defendent kept on walking, only he slowed down, drawing Mike Briggs in closer to him. As Mike Briggs said stop police a final time, the defendent pulled out the gun, he toward Mike Briggs, he raised both of his hands, and he shot Mike Briggs right in the head.

Ayotte said the act was intentional.

Ayotte: This was no accident. This was no reckless act, this was no mistake.

She told juors the prosecution will present evidence that will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Addison committed capital murder.

Ayotte: Testimony from police officers who saw what happened at the murder scene... testimony from his friends and associates of his statements before the murder that he would pop a cop who tried to arrest him. his statements after the murder, his statement that he shot a cop. ….evidence that he had a powerful motive to kill a police officer becaues he was a felon in possesion of a firearm.

Rothstein sought to sow doubt about the prosecution's evidence, including testimony of Addison's acquaintances and friends.

Rothstein:They all made an agreement with the state.. to testify against Michael Addison and to get some sort of benefit for testifying, which in their case their cases were far reduced time in jail, or time in prison.

And Rothstein also tried to show a well-meaning side to Addison.

He said Addison had taken the gun away from Bell Rogers earlier in the night in question to make sure Bell Rogers didn’t shoot his girlfriend.

Sitting in the front rows were members of Briggs's family.

Addison sat slightly hunched in his chair.

On an earlier procedural manner, he spoke quietly to the judge.

Defense attorney Rothstein prepared the jurors for the range of emotions they'll feel: anger, sadness.

He also seemed to be preparing them for the difficulty of their decision in the midst of the community where Briggs served.

Rothstein: We need people who not only care about officer Briggs and his family because everyone does. We need people who care about something bigger, even bigger, and that's justice. People who care about doing the right thing in this case, no matter what anyone else may think.

If Addison is convicted, he faces a possible death penalty.

The jury can also give him life without parole, even if he is deemed eligible for the death penalty.

The trial is expected to continue for six to eight weeks. For NHPR News in Manchester, I'm Ellen Grimm.