The trial of suspended Barrington Police Sgt. Joseph
Andreozzi moves into its third day; he is charged with cyber-harassing his
ex-wife and obstructing a State Police investigation.
The trial of the suspended Barrington police officer accused
of cyber-harassing his ex-wife with text messages continued in Superior Court
on Monday and Tuesday, July 15-16.
It is expected to resume today, July 17, on the charges of
felony obstruction of justice and misdemeanor cyber-harassment.
Sgt. Joseph Andreozzi allegedly harassed his ex-wife with
the text messages before using some type of electronic eraser that wiped his
cell phone clean while it was impounded in an evidence box with the RI State
Police, according to a story in the Providence Journal.
A Verizon employee testified on Tuesday that he helped
Andreozzi through the process because the officer said he had left the phone at
his girlfriend's home and needed to delete private information, including
photos of other women, according to WPRI.com.
A State Police officer has testified that Andreozzi used the
Lookout program to log into an email account and “wipe” the texts from his
cellular phone while it was stored in the State Police barracks in Lincoln.
Andreozzi purchased the device on Aug. 30 last year at the Barrington Verizon
store, the State Police officer said.
Andreozzi had been taken to the barracks earlier that day
after he was arrested for allegedly scaring his ex-wife, Christine, with the
texts and phone calls.
Andreozzi’s ex-wife gave her phone to the State Police,
which contained his messages. The State Police said they also obtained by court
order Andreozzi’s messages and calls from Verizon in New Jersey.
Andreozzi’s attorney, John Harwood, said the exchanges between
him and his ex-wife were part of a “marital disagreement” – not cyberstalking
or harassment.
And Harwood said Andreozzi went into the Verizon store on
Waseca Avenue simply to get some help to remove personal and medical
information about his children. That’s whey he reportedly refused to let State
Police officers seize his phone.
Prosecutor Stephen Regine recited numerous messages
Andreozzi sent to his ex-wife. Included among them was one that said simply
“die,” Regine said.
Harwood, in turn, said Andreozzi’s text message also
included: “I still love you” and “wish I could take it all back, I’m sorry.”