TROY -- A former Rensselaer
police officer was sentenced to prison for driving drunk and killing his
childhood friend in a crash.
Mark Fusco pleaded guilty to
first degree vehicular manslaughter Friday
afternoon. Fusco admitted he
had a blood alcohol content of .18 or greater when
he crashed into a tree in East
Greenbush on March 13, 2013. His passenger, Sean
Murphy, 22, was killed.
Fusco said he couldn’t remember
why the two got in the car after taking taxis
all night. Murphy’s family said
early reports that they had forgotten something
in a taxi and were trying to
catch up were untrue.
Sean’s mother, Coreen, read the
only victim impact statement during sentencing.
“I am so proud to call myself
Sean's mother. It's all I’ve ever
wanted to be. He was the
greatest son and person a mom could ever wish for. On
the morning of March 13th I was
destroyed, my heart shattered and sadly since
day I wish every morning when I
open my eyes that somehow I could trade places
with my son,” said Coreen.
“Sean was the heart of our family we don’t know how
to go on without him.”
Fusco’s attorney said Fusco
wanted to plead guilty immediately after the crash,
but he advised him against it.
He also said Fusco resigned from the force days
after the crash.
“I am...beyond sorry for causing your son to
be taken away. Sean was my best
friend, he was my brother,”
Fusco told the Murphy’s before sentencing. “Words
will never explain how truly
sorry I am to both of you. I can’t imagine what
you're going through and it
tears me up inside to think what I’ve done to such
good people.”