Arguments Begin in Officer’s Shooting Death

Trial opened Monday in the unusual manslaughter case of a man who failed to warn police officers of a suspect’s whereabouts, allowing the suspect to ambush the officers, killing one.

Displaying a smiling photo of late Glendale Officer Charles Lazzaretto, Deputy Dist. Atty. Larry Morrison told jurors that Ronald Davey was guilty of harboring the suspect and responsible for the officer’s death.

“Ronald Davey lied to the police officers,” Morrison said in his opening statement. “That set in motion a chain of events and horrible circumstances that led directly to Chuck Lazzaretto’s death.”

Davey and Israel Gonzalez were co-workers at a Chatsworth pornographic movie studio and warehouse. Lazzaretto and his partner arrived at the studio late one night in May 1997 looking for Gonzalez after he beat up his live-in girlfriend .

Davey told police that he hadn’t seen Gonzalez, although Gonzalez was in his office. As the officers walked around the warehouse, shots rang out from the dark and Lazzaretto was shot and killed. Two other officers were injured trying to rescue him.

Gonzalez killed himself in the seven-hour stand-off.

Davey was indicted in April.