Lawyer alleges cover-up in police shooting of student football star

A police investigation into the shooting of a New York City college football player is a "mere cover-up," says the lawyer for four fellow football players who witnessed the shooting.

Twenty-year-old Danroy Henry was killed Sunday by police in Westchester County, New York, after they were called to a disturbance at a nearby bar.

Concern over Henry's death has been building over the past week, with Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) the latest to add his voice to those calling for a full investigation into the matter.

There are differing accounts as to the facts in the case.

According to police, Henry was parked in a fire lane outside a suburban New York nightclub and struck two officers while trying to leave. After being struck, one officer fired through the windshield, hitting Henry.

But the father of one of the passengers says Henry thought he was just following police instructions to leave, and that the car never struck police.

The players claim they were abused while trying to save Henry's life. Henry was handcuffed on the ground after being taken out of the car. Four of Henry's teammates were arrested following the shooting, one of whom was reportedly Tasered when he tried to give aid to his dying teammate.

One player knows CPR but police "put a gun to his ribs and they told him to back ... up or he would be next," Zelman said.

Three of the players were arrested for obstruction of justice while a fourth was accused of breaking a shop window.

Daniel Parker, of Lauderhill, Fla.; Joseph Garcia, of Floral Park, N.Y.; and Yves Delpeche, of Brooklyn, N.Y. have retained attorney Bonita Zelman to represent them.

Mount Pleasant Police Chief Louis Alagno has said his department is investigating the shooting.

According to Alagno's timeline, police were rendering aid to Henry within three minutes instead of the 10 to 15 minutes claimed by witnesses. The police union released a statement a Thursday claiming the officer had fired after Henry ignored hand signals and ignored shouted orders to stop.

At a Friday press conference, Zelman called the police investigation into the shooting a "mere cover-up." She wants the New York attorney general's office or federal prosecutors to open their own investigation.

"We need to have the absolute truth," Danroy Henry Sr. told ABC's Good Morning America Friday.

"Regardless of who was at fault, there is a loss of life," Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts told WEEI radio in calling for a probe of the matter. (The Henry family is from Massachusetts.) "You know, a young life, a bright life is lost."

This video is from Boston.com, broadcast Oct. 22, 2010.