Police Harassment Alleged in East Haven, CT

Hispanic and residents of the largely Italian-American town of east Haven are leaving, fleeing what they say is incessant police harassment. The United States Department of Justice has subsequently opened a civil rights investigation into some of the officers, though complainants state the entire force has a problem.

According to this Associated Press report, claims of profiling by the police began a few years back when the Hispanic population in the small town started growing. Currently, only about 7% of the population is Hispanic, coming from Mexico and Ecuador.

Hispanic business owners state that officers made a habit of parking outside of their store fronts and harassing their customers, threatening them with calls to immigration enforcement. One business owner is facing charges of child neglect for letting his son play right out in front of his grocery store that caters to the immigrant population.

That business owner has placed his store, Los Amigos Grocery, up for sale stating he can’t keep it afloat amid the harassment. He invested $120,000 in his business, something he states he wouldn’t do again knowing how the police would treat his customers.

The East Haven Police Chief denies that any of his officers are guilty of racial profiling or harassment. The Mayor has revealed, however, that the FBI was investigating and there were potential criminal cases in the works on some of the officers. Although the residents have said problems have declined slightly since the federal investigation, they continue to move to different towns and some even back to their native countries.

It’s against the law for law enforcement to harass someone solely based on their race or nationality. When there are allegations of officers not only targeting certain individuals and businesses but also using racial slurs when addressing foreign-born residents, there is a definite problem.

There’s a lot of doubt in my mind that an officer can fairly and justly enforce the law when they view a certain population (Hispanics in this case) in a negative light before they even clock in. If they see ridding the town of immigrants as part of their job, they are certainly in the wrong profession.

Although profiling can be difficult to prove, if you are facing charges and believe you were unfairly targeted, it’s something you should look at when discussing the case with your Connecticut defense lawyer.

A criminal defense attorney can objectively evaluate your case and give you a good idea of your options and potential solutions. They will also be there to ensure your Constitutional rights are protected as you journey through the Connecticut criminal justice system.

Cop Fired, Bar Closed in Windsor Locks Case

A police officer facing charges for manslaughter in the DUI death of a young bicyclist was fired by the Windsor Locks police department last week. A commission voted on Dec. 9 to fire the officer at the center of a State Police investigation according to the Associated Press.

The twenty four year old officer was said to be drinking for around six hours at the local bar before leaving and ultimately colliding with a 15 year old riding his bike home from a friend’s house.

As we reported here last month, police response on the night of the accident is being investigated as there are some significant questions on how the accident was handled. It’s been suggested the suspect’s father, a police Sergeant himself may have overstepped his bounds on the night in question.

The young officer is currently free on a $50,000 cash bond and was initially on administrative leave until the commission decided to fire him. The same commission has also voted for an independent investigator to look at the handling of the police response that evening.

In addition to the cop losing his job, the bar that he was drinking at closed its doors for good. NBC Connecticut reported just this week that the Suffield Tavern has shut down. Although they state business wasn’t going that well to begin with, the press coverage of the accident certainly hasn’t helped.

The victim’s family intend on suing the tavern owners as well as the officer and his father, according to the NBC report.

More than just a DUI charge, this officer faces serious time if convicted on vehicular manslaughter charges.

Very few drunk driving charges result in accidents, injury, or death in tragic case like this. But you face a DUI in Connecticut, you still need an attorney on your side looking out for your best interests and telling you of your available options. Contact me today to discuss your case.

Judge Gets Award From DUI Advocacy Group

A Connecticut judge was awarded a National President's Award from MADD for her use of victims impact panels and educating other judges about drunk driving sentencing options.

But is it a good thing for justice if a judge is receiving awards from victim's rights lobbying groups? Does this indicate a clear bias against defendants in DUI cases? If you are accused of drunk driving in Connecticut, can you really feel as if you are going to get fair treatment if you appear before this judge?

These questions are worth considering. Reader comments at the Middletown Press question whether it is proper for a judge to receive honors for directing defendants to MADD-sponsored victim's impact panels.

Everyone agrees that driving while drunk is a bad idea, but getting a fair shake in court is a right everyone must enjoy. While judges are human beings and have biases and tendencies, no defendant should have to feel intimidated knowing that they are going to appear before MADD's favorite award-winning judge in Connecticut. When your freedom is on the line, that's an uncomfortable and unfair place to be.