Trooper Casey Lamonte Set to Be Formally Charged in Enrique Delgado-Garcia Case
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Casey Lamonte is scheduled to be formally charged this Wednesday, May 6, in Worcester Superior Court with one count of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of MSP recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia.
Lamonte seen here (center) representing a “Defensive Tactics Instructor” as part of the Police Jiu Jitsu Defensive Tactics Program.
Lamonte’s alleged role is one of the most important parts of this case. According to the Commonwealth, Lamonte is accused of revising an approved lesson plan to make it appear that boxing fundamentals were part of the approved defensive tactics training. That alleged document change reportedly happened while Enrique was being taken to the hospital.
That allegation is why this case is about more than a training accident.
The other troopers charged and faced formal charges earlier this April: Sergeant Jennifer Penton, Trooper Edwin Rodriguez, and Trooper David Montanez, were not just bystanders. According to the Commonwealth, as instructors, leaders, and supervisors, they had a duty to intervene when Enrique showed signs of injury and when the training became unsafe.
Some of these troopers had extensive law enforcement, military, or combat-sports experience. That makes the Commonwealth’s argument even more serious: they should have recognized the danger, stopped the exercise, and protected a recruit under their supervision.
Instead, Enrique Delgado-Garcia suffered fatal head injuries during training at the Massachusetts State Police Academy. According to the case details, he showed concussion-like symptoms the day before his fatal injury, yet those warning signs were not properly followed up on medically by the leaders responsible for his safety: Sgt. Jennifer Penton, Trooper Edwin Rodriguez, Trooper Casey Lamonte, and Trooper David Montanez. The next day, Enrique was again reportedly paired with the same highly skilled fighter, knocked down multiple times, and later died from blunt force trauma and brain bleeding.
Sergeant Jennifer Penton also faces a perjury charge for allegedly lying to the grand jury about when she first learned Enrique was showing concussion-like symptoms.
Sgt. Jennifer Penton in Middlesex Superior Court on April 16th facing one charge of perjury in the death of Delgado-Garcia.
Everyone charged is entitled to the presumption of innocence. But the public is entitled to answers.
Who failed to stop the training?
Who knew Enrique was hurt?
Who had the authority to intervene?
And why was there allegedly an effort to change documents after the fact?
Lamonte’s court appearance on Wednesday is a major moment in this case because it puts the focus back where it belongs: on supervision, accountability, and whether Enrique Delgado-Garcia’s death was preventable.
This article was adapted from a recent LTL Media livestream and edited for clarity
