by Christine Stuart
www.Ctnewsjunkie.com
State Rep. Art Feltman, D-Hartford, who will run for mayor against Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez in November said the arrest of a reporter and political activist at the governor’s inaugural parade was either “arbitrary or political,” because based on the Hartford Police report Ken Krayeske did nothing illegal.
Feltman held a press conference late this afternoon at Hartford City Hall to call on Perez to order an internal affairs investigation of the Hartford Police officers who arrested Krayeske. He said it’s clear from the police report “there were no allegations contained in it that would warrant an arrest on Breach of Peace.”
Perez said this morning at a press conference that Chief Daryl Roberts had given him a report on the arrest which says his men handled the situation appropriately. “Our job was to keep the governor safe and I think that’s what we did,” Perez said defending the department.
Feltman said the Hartford Police owe Krayeske an apology for the improper arrest. “Our fine police department doesn’t need this distraction. Our City hardly needs this embarrassment.”
“We must not politicize law enforcement,” Feltman said. If the police back off the prosecutor will not continue its prosecution, he said.
State Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, said he’s checking to see if the prosecutors in this case have acted ethically because its his understanding that they have an obligation to see justice is served. “It‘s not their job to get a conviction,” he said.
Lawlor said prosecutor’s must drop a case if they can’t prove it beyond a reasonable doubt and Ken’s photos, several witness statements and the police department’s report seem to add up to reasonable doubt. Lawlor also said prosecutor’s can’t turn away evidence.
Krayeske’s attorney, Norman Pattis said earlier this week that when he offered the prosecutor a witness statement in court Jan. 30, the prosecutor refused to take it. Pattis said that’s why he asked the judge for a supervised pre-trial conference on March 2.
What’s also disturbing to Krayeske’s supporters is the Hartford Police Chief’s misunderstanding of Miranda rights.
Lawlor said under Miranda the police must stop asking questions as soon as someone asks for a lawyer. Roberts said in an interview with Colin McEnroe that Krayeske was “uncooperative” and “evasive” during the interview process. “To not answer questions there’s a consequence to that,” Roberts told McEnroe.
Lawlor said Krayeske was within his rights to stop answering questions. Krayeske, a first-year law student, knew enough to stop talking and ask for his attorney, which was never provided to him during his 13-hours in custody.
But the police department’s philosophy seems to jibe with Perez’s management style. Perez was criticized earlier Thursday for the way he handled the state Attorney General’s decision on the construction of a magnet school at the corner of Board Street and Farmington Ave.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said the parcel of land was given to the city under certain conditions and building a school was not one of them. But Perez decided to go ahead with construction anyway and heavy equipment is at work on the site. Blumenthal said he will consider filing an injunction against the city.
Last year Perez became frustrated with state legislators he felt weren’t acting fast enough to draft legislation that would postpone the city’s property tax revaluation, so he sent off an email threatening to close schools and fire police officers and teachers.
Wednesday he sent out a threatening letter to Gov. M. Jodi Rell that said if she doesn’t allow the city to build the school there she is violating the court order in the landmark desegregation case, Sheff v. O’Neill.
“The city is facilitating the state’s compliance with a court order in Sheff that requires this magnet school to be built and paid for by the state. This furthers the appearance that you intend to purposely block implementation of the Sheff order,” Perez writes.
This is one of the many reasons he faces challenges from Feltman and I. Charles Mathews, both of whom attended Krayeske’s legal defense fund party.
No comments:
Post a Comment