Sopranos' Actor Goes on Trial

CNN reports on the trial of Lillo Brancato Jr., who played a wannabe gangster in the hit HBO series the Sopranos. Lillo played Matt Bevilaque in five or six episodes but years before that he starred with Robert De Niro in A Bronx Tale.

Brancato's real-life troubles began not long after he befriended Steven Armento, a reputed low-level Genovese crime family associate banished for drug addiction, prosecutors say. Then his life went into a tailspin with a pair of drug-related arrests and the death of Enchautegui.

Brancato drove himself and Armento to the home of Enchautegui's next-door neighbor and the pair broke in to steal prescription drugs, prosecutors said. When they were confronted by Enchautegui, who was off duty, Armento shot the officer. Brancato and Armento were both wounded.

In statements to the press, the defense attorney has indicated he plans to show that his client didn't have a gun, didn't know anyone else did, and is only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My thoughts are the he was guilty of a bit more than that, but certainly not murder. What's your opinion? And what's your opinion of his acting? I love these characters, but I often wonder if they can demonstrate the versatility of a Robert De Niro or a Dustin Hoffman. Sometimes I think they're just being themselves.