FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Hollywood Police officers took the stand in a Broward County courtroom on Tuesday as the death penalty phase got underway for the man who killed one of their own.
During Tuesday’s opening statements and subsequent testimony, officers who responded to the scene testified about the tragic shooting that killed their colleague, Officer Yandy Chirino.
“His death didn’t just take a friend away from me, it took away a future. He deserved to live.” said Hollywood Police Officer Henry Martinez while on the stand.
The testimony was part of the trial where a jury will decide whether Jason Banegas, who was 18 at the time of the 2021 fatal shooting and has pled guilty to the charges, will face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
According to officials, Banegas shot and killed Chirino during an armed struggle, after Chirino responded to reports of someone checking car handles for unlocked cars.
Officers raced to the scene to assist and saw their colleague shot. One of them shared his emotional testimony in the courtroom.
“He was pointing at his face,” said Hollywood Police Detective Manuel Rodriguez-Blevins.
“What could you see?” said a prosecutor.
“I could tell that he’d been shot,” said Rodriguez-Blevins.
Chirino was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
In court, surveillance video was shown of the drive to the hospital.
“How did you know Officer Chirino was still alive on the drive to the hospital?” asked the prosecutor.
“He was squeezing my finger,” said Martinez.
In a tearful testimony, Martinez mourned the loss of his close friend and said he was one of a kind.
“I had the privilege of knowing one of the best human beings God has created. A man who loved his family, loved his job and lived every day fully.” said Martinez.
Court adjourned on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to resume at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
Only eight of 12 jurors need to vote yes in order for Banegas to be sentenced to death.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.