Informant says McCray admitted shooting

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - News 4 senior correspondent Rich Newberg took the stand Friday at the City Grill murder trial. Newberg described the day he interviewed Riccardo McCray before his surrender to police at Channel 4.

Newberg was called by the prosecution as a witness. It was all about the interview that was done with McCray last summer, just before McCray turned himself in. The entire interview was played for jurors.

>> You can watch the entire interview here

It was 11 days after the shootings that Riccardo McCray surrendered at WIVB-TV in north Buffalo. News 4's Rich Newberg met McCray and conducted an exclusive interview for broadcast.

McCray said, "I was there. It was a fight."

The interview was played for jurors, now deciding the fate of McCray. Newberg was called as a prosecution witness. He testified about the interview and what was known before McCray arrived at the station.

Prosecutor James Bargnesi said, "Were you aware that law enforcement was looking for him?"
Newberg responded, "Yes."

At the time, McCray was considered a key person of interest in the case and had not been charged.

"We gave him an opportunity to express himself," said Newberg.

Prosecutors also questioned Newberg if he had notified authorities beforehand, asking, "Why didn't you call police?" Newberg stated, "Not my role. Not an agent of police."

During the interview itself, Newberg asked McCray point blank if he had any involvement in the shootings. McCray emphatically shook his head no, saying, "If I know who did [do it], I would come forward and tell y'all who did."

McCray's attorney, Joseph Terranova suggested that Newberg, by agreeing to the surrender at News 4, may have exploited his client. Terranova asked, "Don't you think you took advantage of Mr. McCray?" Newberg replied, "No, I do not. I don't think we took advantage of Mr. McCray."

Newberg added, "Everything was in his own words. He's an adult. He had the right to not participate or answer the questions. He chose to answer the questions."

Also on Friday, prosecutors called a jail house informant to the stand. The informant testified that while in jail, McCray told him that he fired a gun into the crowd that night at City Grill until there were no rounds left. Testimony will continue on Monday.