NL Day Weighs In On Krayeske Case

Withdraw The Charges

Published on 2/17/2007
Editorial

The state should drop the charges against Ken Krayeske, a freelance journalist improperly arrested as he photographed Gov. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade. Mr. Krayeske managed the gubernatorial campaign last fall for Green Party candidate Clifford Thornton. He apparently got on a police surveillance list for the parade because of a loud protest he made at Gov. Rell during the campaign and because he had been arrested for civil disobedience at another, unrelated protest concerning war.

Bottom line: the police overreacted in placing his name on a list of people who potentially might be threats to the governor. Mr. Krayeske is a passionate advocate for causes he believes in, but he was no threat to the governor. He was unfairly singled out by police, on the one hand, and on the other, his conduct during the parade was not inappropriate. He had been standing for a number of minutes in a location where he was later arrested.

This was a public event at which Mr. Krayeske was taking photographs with professional photo equipment. He is a freelance journalist.

Mr. Krayeske apparently got on the police security list because he had tried to confront and debate the governor during the election campaign about her unwillingness to debate Mr. Thornton.

Gov. Rell herself believes that the police overreacted and she asked for a review of the matter by police officials. Hartford police say this was not an arrest for political purposes, but that is the way it appears to the public and to anyone who happens to think about the issue.

The police goofed. Prosecutors should drop the charges and the police should apologize. That is what should happen March 2 when the case comes up in Hartford Superior Court.