A lawyer representing an ex-con charged with murdering an East Village bouncer claimed Tuesday an off-duty cop witnessed the shooting and told police the alleged killer was innocent.
"An off-duty cop was present," said Paul Brenner, a lawyer for Louis Rodriguez, 29. "He said Mr. Rodriguez was definitely not involved."
Brenner's comments came after Rodriguez was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on murder charges in the slaying of Eric (Taz) Pagan outside Forbidden City on Avenue A early Sunday.
"My client wasn't there," Brenner said, adding that he asked prosecutors about the cop -- whose name he did not know -- but got "no response."
The prosecution said they stood behind the charges.
