Convicted Murderer Accused of Assaulting Cop After Verdict

After being convicted of murder in state Superior Court, Giuseppe Tedesco was arrested on new charges of aggravated assault of a correctional officer and third-degree terroristic threats on Thursday.

The officer he allegedly assaulted while being transported to a holding cell sustained a head injury and fractured fibula, according to Lt. Dave Rome of the Sussex County Sheriff's Office. Tedesco was also charged with obstruction of a governmental function.

Tedesco, a 27-year-old Hopatcong resident, was found guilty of first-degree murder, possession of a gun and possession of a gun for an unlawful purpose Thursday. The murder charge stems from the shooting death of Alyssa Ruggieri, who was 22 when she was shot six times inside her Durban Avenue home on March 27, 2010.

In court Thursday, Tedesco looked at jurors and mouthed obscenities as each was polled by a judge, according to a press release sent by Rome.

"He then turned and made a verbal threat to a member of the victim's family," the release said.

As officers attempted to control Tedesco and take him out of the courtroom to a holding cell, Tedesco was non-compliant and became violent as he attempted to resist arrest, according to Rome. Officers had to subdue Tedesco as he "continued to thrash."

Tedesco is currently being held at the Keogh Dwyer Correctional Facility.