Trial of Chester official who shot DoorDash driver goes to jury
Chester Highway Superintendent John Reilly's attorney said in his closing statement that Reilly had a reasonable fear that led him to fire his handgun, wounding DoorDash driver Alpha Barry, 24, as Barry was trying to leave his home May 2, 2025 on Victoria Drive. The prosecution said the case is not nearly as complicated as the defense has painted it.
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The case against an elected official from Chester accused of shooting a DoorDash delivery driver in his front yard is headed to the jury in Orange County Court in Goshen.
Chester Highway Superintendent John Reilly's attorney said in his closing statement that Reilly had a reasonable fear that led him to fire his handgun, wounding 24-year-old DoorDash driver Alpha Barry, as Barry was trying to leave Reilly’s home.
The incident happened on May 2, 2025, on Victoria Drive.
The prosecution said the case is not nearly as complicated as the defense has painted it.
Defense attorney Thomas Kenniff started his hour-long closing statement by going back through the incident, pointing out moments that escalated Reilly's fear for his life and his family's lives.
Kenniff said when Barry approached Reilly's home, Reilly "didn't flip out" right away and fire his gun.
Kenniff said, at first, Reilly answered the door without his gun and tried to help Barry.
Barry was in the middle of a meal delivery and was asking Reilly if he could charge his cellphone battery, which was dead.
The defense said there were communication issues with Barry, a newly arrived French-speaking immigrant from Guinea whose English was limited, which added to Reilly's fear.
After asking Barry twice which address he was looking for, only to receive a blank stare, Barry went to his car and Reilly came back outside with a .45 caliber handgun.
Kenniff went on to say that as Barry was trying to drive off, Reilly fired two warning shots, then became startled by the car's engine revving and horn sound, "escalating his fear" and leading him to fire another warning shot that went through the car and struck Barry in the back.
After leaving the property, Barry went to a convenience store where a clerk called 9-1-1. Barry then went home before being taken to the hospital for emergency surgeries.
The defense said this series of events escalated Reilly's fears and that, though he was mistaken about the threat level, his fear was real and he had no intent to injure or kill anyone.
Orange County Prosecutor Nicholas Mangold began his summation simply saying, "Bullets go where guns are pointed."
The prosecution agreed with the defense that Reilly's first shot outside his home was a warning shot, but the second and third shots were not.
Mangold pointed out that Reilly took the third shot as Barry was trying to drive away, hitting the vehicle directly in the back with a slight downward trajectory through the seats, striking Barry in the back.
Mangold said that Barry simply not moving quickly enough to leave Reilly's property is not a threat.
The 14 charges against Reilly include attempted murder, assault with depraved indifference for human life and several weapons charges relating to guns that were removed from Reilly's basement the day after the shooting.
The jury returns to the courthouse Tuesday to deliberate.
Depending on which charges lead to convictions, Reilly could end up going to prison for decades.
