Support Leads Judge to Cut Bail for Officer Held in Wife’s Death

San Diego Police Officer Pablo J. Agrio was granted a reduced bail Monday after fellow police officers and friends offered to testify in his behalf.

The bail reduction was allowed despite allegations by an assistant district attorney that Agrio shot his wife in the back of the head after he kicked in their bedroom door during another in a series of fights in which “he was beating and kicking her.”

The bail for Agrio, a four-year veteran officer, was reduced from $100,000 to $60,000, and San Diego Municipal Judge Linda I. Kintner allowed him the opportunity to leave County Jail after posting bond.

But A. Craig Rooten, the assistant prosecutor, told the judge that the March 26 fight at the couple’s Paradise Hills home that resulted in Alma Catalina Agrio’s death “was not an isolated incident.”

“It’s a lot more complicated than to suggest there was just a fight for a gun and it was accidental,” he said.

Rooten said the victim had been assaulted by her husband three or four times in the past, in addition to an incident in October in which she filed a complaint with the Police Department after he again allegedly beat her. The other assaults were not reported to police, the prosecutor said, and the wife later withdrew the October complaint.

“He was beating and kicking her before,” Rooten said. “And he was beating and kicking her in this incident. She was shot in the back of the head after the bedroom door was kicked in.”

Rooten also suggested that Agrio, 29, was emotionally unstable, noting that he had begged police officers to shoot him when he was arrested at his home.

“He may remain suicidal and a danger to himself and others,” the prosecutor said.

But the judge agreed to the lower bail amount after a group of courtroom spectators, including two fellow police officers, three of his colleagues from law school, relatives, neighbors and friends, stood up and offered to, but did not, testify in his behalf.

“Obviously he has ties to the community,” the judge said.

Agrio’s attorney, Nicholas Cimmarrusti, introduced each of the spectators and then characterized their prepared testimony for the judge.

“They would testify he was an agreeable young man who had a good future with the Police Department,” he said.

“They would say he was an intelligent, capable and hard-working man and had a dream about developing a legal career here in this area.”

Cimmarrusti said he was aware of only the one fight in October, and he stressed that the complaint in that altercation was later withdrawn.

Asked after the hearing to comment on Rooten’s contentions about three or four other beatings, Cimmarrusti said: “That’s hearsay upon hearsay upon hearsay and should not be taken into consideration. I have no knowledge whatsoever about any prior incidents.”

The Police Officers Assn. has established a legal defense fund for Agrio. Glenn Ryan, a member of Agrio’s homeowners association, said that group is also raising money to help defray Agrio’s legal costs.

Alma Agrio, 24, was a recruit correctional officer at the Sheriff’s Academy. She was shot after she returned home late that night after being out with friends. The couple’s 2-year-old son, who was home at the time, was not injured, officials said.