RISP Never Interviewed These Two Men in Investigating Sanzi’s Claim - Family Calls Review a "Phony"

RISP Never Interviewed These Two Men in Investigating Sanzi’s Claim - Family Calls Review a "Phony"

Inexplicably, two of the key players in a major Rhode Island State Police controversy were never interviewed by the agency in its investigation of serious charges relating to the death of a Rhode Island businessman.

Former Major Timothy Sanzi of the Rhode Island State Police made serious claims about former Lt. Colonel Joseph Philbin.

Sanzi in a taped conversation said that Philbin told him "he thinks" he killed a man -- ten years earlier.

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Another State Trooper, recently retired Michael Casey, after being told by Sanzi of his conversation with Philbin, tracked down a mysterious death at the location and in the timeframe in which Sanzi said Philbin told him the incident happened.

 

 

LISTEN TO SANZI'S CHARGES BELOW

 

 

That death was David Heffron, a successful businessman who was found bleeding on the sidewalk with head injuries in March of 2012 just outside the Oaks Tavern in East Greenwich.

Last week the State Police released a copy of its investigation. 

“Our detectives performed an exhaustive investigation and found no evidence to support the allegation made against Mr. Philbin. As detailed in the report we are releasing today, all reasonable efforts were made to identify any assault allegedly committed during the timeframe of 2011 to 2014 in East Greenwich…,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

Just two problems. The State Police never interviewed two critical players in the incident.  And the family of the decedent is questioning the investigation. 

 

 

Here is Who the State Police Did Not Interview

Lt. Colonel Joseph Philbin (Retired)

First, the State Police did not interview Philbin, the man that Sanzi said called him and told him “he thinks" he killed a man.

Philbin told GoLocal he has not been interviewed on November 13. And Lt. Colonel Robert Creamer had told GoLocal in an email on November 14, “We offered retired Lieutenant Colonel Philbin the opportunity to provide a statement and he opted not to.”

Philbin, who, according to former Superintendent James Manni, has lied in his role as a State Police officer and was issued a Giglio letter more than a decade earlier.

A Giglio Letter is also known as a Death Letter, and Wake Forrest Law School Review describes the seriousness of the designation as “once a district attorney writes a Giglio letter about a particular officer, that officer is functionally unable to make arrests, handle evidence, or interview suspects.”

"It means less than truthful in a sworn statement as a law enforcement officer, and in future testimony, you would have disclosed that you were Giglioed,” said Manni.

“In the past, there was an issue with the truthfulness,” said Manni made the comments during a deposition in an unrelated case. The lawyer asking questions is David Cass.

 

 

LISTEN TO MANNI'S DEPOSITION BELOW 

 

East Greenwich Police Detective Patrick Trainor (Retired)

The second man the Rhode Island State Police failed to interview, or even contact, is now retired East Greenwich detective Patrick Trainor.

Trainor was investigating the death of Heffron — a death that occurred in late March of 2012.  And, Trainor retired in June of that same year.

Trainor confirmed to GoLocal that he has not been contacted by the RISP about his investigation into Heffron’s death.

 

“It's a Phony Investigation”

Anne Heffron, the sister of the decedent David, said in an interview with GoLocal on Tuesday, “It's a phony investigation by the State Police. It is surreal.”

Anne Heffron too was never contacted by the State Police, nor was her other brother James.

“It is incredible — how could you [RISP] not contact the lead investigator,” said Heffron.

 

State Police Leadership

Manni signed off on the investigation in his final hours as head of the State Police and refuses to answer questions about why he approved the investigation when neither Philbin nor Trainor was interviewed. 

And, Weaver charges that questions about the matter and the investigation are an attack on the State Police.

“The men and women of this agency [RISP] work endlessly to maintain the trust of and protect the citizens of our State. These attacks on the integrity of our Troopers and our work are misguided and wrong,” Weaver added.

Creamer also refused to respond as to why the agency did not pursue compelling Philbin to answer questions and why the agency never reached out to the lead investigator Trainor.

 

Coming Soon: Part 5