Prosecutor seeks special investigation in fatal shooting

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana prosecutor has asked a judge to approve a special investigation into a murder case after the defendant alleged investigators lied about details under oath.

Kyle Doroszko, 19, was charged with murder in the 2019 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Traychon Taylor in South Bend, Indiana. Prosecutors say the shooting happened while Taylor attempted to rob Doroszko while he was selling him marijuana.

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Ken Cotter filed a petition asking Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Sanford to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the case after Doroszko's lawyer alleged in a court filing that three officers lied under oath at their dispositions, South Bend Tribune reported Wednesday.

Doroszko's arrest on April 30, 2019, in his home was caught on surveillance, Cotter's petition notes.

When Commander Mike Grzegorek along with Detectives Brian Cook and Chris Kronewitter were deposed by Doroszko's lawyer, there was 'œapparent discrepancy'ť between the officers' testimony and the surveillance footage of the arrest, according to the petition.

In a court filing, Doroszko alleges that Grzegorek, Cook and Kronewitter, 'œchose to make intentional, material misrepresentations of fact'ť and 'œlied on multiple material points under oath at their depositions.'ť

The discrepancies include the three officers allegedly lying about not having an assault rifle when they arrested him in his home, Doroszko alleges. The filing also says the officers denied asking Doroszko questions about the shooting without him waiving his Miranda rights that allow him to stay silent and have an attorney.

'œIt would be inappropriate for us to officially draw a conclusion as to why those officers made the statements they did,'ť Cotter said in a written statement on Tuesday.

Grzegorek told the newspaper Tuesday that he wouldn't comment.

Cotter's petition explains that 'œcredibility'ť is part of the evaluation of any case. He noted that the 'œprosecutor must determine whether that conflict was a result of an honest mis-remembering of the events...'ť

Cotter is asking for a special prosecutor to handle the case to 'œavoid any appearance of impropriety, conflict of interest or influence upon the ultimate prosecutorial decisions to be made,'ť the petition says.

Doroszko's next hearing is scheduled on April 27.