New Haven Independent

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 27, 2008 5:54 PM

Arterton continues to be inconsistent in her rulings. All of the defendants in this scandal had clean records and all have children.
So what's the DIFF...?

But Dannehy has just blown her consistency and creditability.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | May 27, 2008 8:40 PM

Hey heights resident here is another one of your good old law enforcement buddies you can send a care package too.Thanks to the judge you can bring to her home.

Posted by: Bob from Branford | May 28, 2008 2:26 PM

This is fair? So much for the equality of law.

The only difference between this case and recent others is that this one involves a mother. The benefits of the species seems to have entitled Ms. D'Antona (and her kids) to special treatment.

What a heartless position. I feel sad for the families such as Jose Silva's, whose children are much younger. The best interests of his children (to have their father involved in their lives) seem to be of lesser value to the judge and the system. As for Ms. Dannehy, she is hyprocritcal at best or sexist at worse.

That is both too bad and tragic.

Posted by: Ken from Bridgeport | May 28, 2008 7:54 PM

A bribe is a bribe. She belongs in jail. Period.

Posted by: Heights Resident | May 28, 2008 9:18 PM

Threefiths

She's not in law enforcement, so I don't see your point in constent juvenile banter. But another sad day for you and your ilk they sentenced another drug dealer to 20 years in jail the other day, go and protest how his civil rights are being violated because he won't eat a peanut butter sandwich that is smooth insted of chunky.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | May 29, 2008 9:48 AM

Heights Resident
I ask a judicial marshal are you part of the law enforcement community and he told me that they are peace officers which makes them a part of law enforcement due to the fact that the judicial system is a part of law enforcement.So do your home work this low life is part of law enforcement.I agree with Ken from bridgeport that
a bribe is a bribe she belongs in jail period!!!
P.S. What excuse are you going to use for your good old slime bag buddy kasperzyk rember he is law enforcement!!!

Posted by: Heights Resident | May 29, 2008 11:32 AM

Three

Wow, everytime I read one of your ignorant comments, with the bad grammer and spelling I get a chuckle.

Marshal's are part of the community of law enforcement, which by the way is vast . But they are NOT law enforcement, they do not enforce the law in anyway. There "powers" of arrest are limited to the court house, and they themselves do not make arrest they call the police, local or state.

And lastly the " slime bag ", Kapserzyk (sp), is not a buddy, I have never met the man, and the friends that i do have on the force don't like or respect him, they are ashamed of what they did and have tried to distance away from them.

There are great officers who put there lives on the line day in and day out and never get the recognition they deserve and thats to bad.

Posted by: Bob's View | May 30, 2008 10:57 PM

Ken in Bridgeport is right. If her name was Jack D'Antona she would be spending the next three years in a federal prison. That is where she belongs.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | May 31, 2008 6:59 AM

Heights Resident,

You could use a spellcheck as well.

Posted by: Someone who knows what their talking about | June 1, 2008 3:27 PM

This is directed to Heights Resident,
I'm a retired law enforcement officer. I don't know who you are, if you ever were in law enforcement or just some wanna be or square badge but if you were or are in law enforcement I would encourage you to go to read your Red Book, you know, that little red book your supposed to refer back to when looking up penal code or the elements of a criminal charge, in order to complete a narrative report and UAR! For those not in law enforcement, the UAR (Uniform Arrest Report)is what a "peace officer" completes when making an arrest. I will quote from Connecticut General Statutes Sec.53a-3(9) for everyone else that is not as ignorant as Mr. Heights Resident and I will help others here understand where Mr. Height's ignorance comes from.

Sec. 53a-3. (9) "Peace officer" means a member of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety or an organized local police department, a chief inspector or inspector in the Division of Criminal Justice, a state marshal while exercising authority granted under any provision of the general statutes, a "JUDICIAL MARSHAL" in the performance of the duties of a judicial marshal.

I will try to explain several reasons why Mr. Heights Resident, is so bothered by this that he feels the need to denigrate Marshals, by his continued claim that they "ARE NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT"!

There would be several reasons for this and I will try to elaborate on them so other readers here will understand why this is such a "touchy issue" for people like Mr. Heights.

The first reason for this would simply be that Mr. Heights has been unsuccessful getting hired as a law enforcement officer and he has a limited knowledge of Connecticut Statutes and he is resentful because he does not like the fact that judicial marshals are peace officers. For those of you who do not know, "peace officer" means they are considered Cops, as far as the laws of this state are concerned.

The second reason would be that Mr. Heights is an employee of the Department of Corrections, and the union that represents Correction Officers in this state has spent decades trying to achieve "peace officer" status for its "officers" and they despise the fact that judicial marshals are "peace officers" They have always have had a gripe with the State of Connecticut on this issue. Their union has spent years lobbying in Hartford using paid lobbyists in almost every legislative session to get "peace officer" status and the State has denied them this status every time. So simply put, Correctional Officers have always hated marshals because of this issue going back to when judicial marshals used to be deputy sheriffs.

The third and final reason that Mr. Heights keeps mentioning this is almost the most disturbing and most ignorant of all. If Mr. Heights actually is or was a cop (and I was once one) I will tell you that most cops have very large egos. It's because of these egos that many cops have caused so many problems with how the public view and develop negative opinions of all of us in law enforcement. He is denigrating the marshals, because he sees them not as deserving of respect as him. Simply put, we in law enforcement have an ego driven "pecking order", and it goes something like this.

Say you're a New Haven cop; well many New Haven Cops don't respect or consider a Yale or Metro North police on the same level as them. They consider them lower on the law enforcement "pecking order" as them. Similarly, a Connecticut State Trooper looks down on the New Haven Cop, because to the Trooper, a municipal cop is lower on the pecking order then them. This idea and ego is a very ignorant way of thinking and it brings nothing but shame and dishonor to the department you're working for. It does nothing but a disservice to the public and the insult and disrespect they show to those in law enforcement who they view as not on "their level" fosters nothing but resentment when there should be nothing but "Brotherhood". This is such a problem that it is one of the reasons law enforcement in this state is so impotent. Simply put, this rivalry that is caused by nothing more than ego is one of the main reasons so many different law enforcement agencies throughout Connecticut can never work together for the benefit of the public.

Mr. Heights made another incorrect analogy and when he made the statement, it was just as ignorant as any of his other remarks.

He stated and I quote, "they are NOT law enforcement, they do not enforce the law in anyway. There "powers" of arrest are limited to the court house, and they themselves do not make arrest they call the police, local or state.

Let's dissect this statement for a moment. The Veterans Administration, a branch of the federal government has their own police officers. They, just like marshals are considered "peace officers", they make arrests and enforce the law within their jurisdiction which in their case, is on VA government property. What happens when they make a custodial, onsite arrest? They call the West Haven Police Department who then come and pick up the arrestee, bring them to the West Haven Department headquarters that then complete the booking process.

This is no different then what judicial marshals do.

I will give an example,

Let's say that someone walks into superior court in New Haven, when they enter the building they are now in the marshal's jurisdiction. Let's say while this person is entering the courthouse they are discovered to be carrying a deadly weapon or illegal narcotics. A marshal, exercising their "arrest powers" would take that individual into custody, (this could be considered an investigative detention or if there is sufficient probable cause, a custodial onsite arrest) they have already exercised their authority to search the individual under Terry vs Ohio, have made a determination if probable cause exists, and they take the individual into custody.

Now, at this point they complete a narrative report; have read the individual their Miranda Warning. That my friend, is because they have "arrest powers". At this point, there are only administrative reasons why they turn their arrestee's over to the State Police, it's because if that individual fails to appear in court on the charges that the marshal arrests them for, judicial marshal's are not going to be the law enforcement agency responsible to go out and get that individual to bring them to appear in court to face those charges. That is why they turn the arrestee and any evidence related to the arrest over to the State Police. This does not change the fact that the person was arrested by a judicial marshal.

This is no different than what happens with VA police, which I dealt with in the town that I worked, or other law enforcement agencies where their jurisdiction is limited.

The bottom line is they are law enforcement. If they have arrest powers, they are no different than any other law enforcement entity. You're only insulting your own occupation when you denigrate them sir. If Mr. Heights even is a cop, which if he is, he isn't one I would have ever wanted to work with. Because he is one of those cops who thinks unless you're walking a beat or answering a call in cruiser, THOSE are the only real cops. I have known many cops like you, and many marshals who have more stones than many cops I did patrol with my friend.

Today's lesson in the definition of "peace officer" and Connecticut General Statutes is done for today. Mr. Heights, if you really are a cop, go back and read your red book sir.

Posted by: Doriss William | June 1, 2008 9:12 PM

Dear Mr. Someone Who Knows...,

Thank you for your lengthy exegesis on police pecking order in the Nutty State. I believe every word you say. A lot of us citizens, with little or no serious real-life experience with law enforcement, are completely ignorant of these situations and the protocol you lay out in a step-by-step fashiion. Once again thanks. You passed the audition!

Am happy to see NHI had the chutzpah to post you. Keep up the good work.

Posted by: Heights Resident | June 2, 2008 4:08 PM

To person in the know.

It's pretty obvious that you have a lot of time on your hands. I must have hit a nerve when I mentioned the powers of arrest of a marshel, I meant no desrecpect towards them. Also you are right, Im not in law enforcement, but you couldn't be further from the truth when you make me out to be some wanna be. I have never had an interest in being a cop, just have a few cop friends, I'm actually in the construction buisness so your whole profile study has fallen short of the mark.

I had to call a few people about your references to the red book, and the pecking order. It was explained that it's not so much as a resentment or elitist attitude for most cops, but a different kind of work. Example, if your a New Haven cop, and you've been shot at, had to fight for your life, been in general life threatening situations, how can a cop from Madsion relate, your both cops, but the work is different. I see the point and relate it to my job , on a site you have a lot of people doing different jobs, were all in considered construction workers but a laborer and a framer are different in the sense that there jobs are not the same, but the final outcome is the construction of the building or house, no job is more important because we all need each other.

So I guess your lesson is don't read to much from a one line sentence, and stop being so touchy, cops are cops and I respect what they do, just like a Marshals, I think they have a tough job, I wouldn't want it.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | June 2, 2008 6:42 PM

Heights Resident
I love it got a brain wake up,Look at your ignorant coments,I agree with someone you know,Sounds to me you must collect police patches
and badges and i bet you even have a police scaner.

Posted by: Someone who knows what they are talking about | June 3, 2008 4:58 PM

Once again, I am amazed at some of the comments some people keep making. I consider myself a humble person and I do not like to criticize others, especially someone I don't know. It's simply not something I want to be doing. I don't like when people judge me, and likewise try very hard not to do the same. I would like to make this analogy of this entire debate, including this whole case about the Marshal.

In the New Testament, and it doesn't matter if you are a person of faith or not, Jesus was saying to the crowed of people who were ready to stone Mary Magdalene to death for being an adulteress and a prostitute, Jesus said "Let those of you without sin, cast the first stone".

What a wonderful concept! Even if you're not a person of faith, that concept alone I think would be such a good way for us to all live our lives. If we all could just reflect on our own lives and realize we have all made mistakes. Sure, some are much worse than others and if you commit a crime, there is usually a price to be paid. But my point is that none of us are perfect so other than having an opinion, what gives us the right to sit in judgment of someone we know nothing about, other than what we have read or seen in the media.

Ok, having said that I feel that your analogy about the difference in the dangers of law enforcement is really, really flawed.

You're suggesting that there is a difference in law enforcement if you're an officer in a city like New Haven, than if you're a cop in Madison? I know that it might sound reasonable that if you're a cop in a city like New Haven that has a higher crime rate than a small town like "Madison" but do you honestly believe that that alone makes the job more or less dangerous? Sure, there is much higher crime in a city of 200,000 but New Haven has hundreds of officers compared to those small town departments you mentioned. That means when you're an officer in a smaller town that has less officers you are actually more likely to find yourself in a life threatening situation simply because you're out on patrol and have less back up and resources to call for assistance. Please, I beg you sir, to call back your "friend" that is the New Haven officer you said is your "buddy" and ask him if he has ever called a "Signal 4" (officer needs assistance) and have him relate to you how quickly and how many officers arrive to a signal 4 in New Haven.

When and if an officer calls for assistance in New Haven, every car in almost every district starts moving to help that officer making that call. Not only that, but Yale officers even start heading to back up that officer. In fact, if that call is near say, the West Haven line, or the East Haven line, officers from both those departments will respond to a New Haven signal 4. Same goes for West Haven PD, except in West Haven we call it a signal 20, but let's not get technical. On the other hand, you are actually in more danger, if you're a cop in a small town and you're going to a domestic call or even making a simple motor vehicle stop, why? Because you don't have nearly the back up that you have when you are working for a large department like New Haven.

As for the danger that the marshals (who I will remind you, do make arrests) are exposed to? I know this much, they are put in just as much danger as any law enforcement officer. Any time you put on a uniform and your job description involves enforcing the laws of this state, handling arrestees or prisoners, even if it's only inside a courthouse, the minute you leave your home you're a target. Your life and your family's life can be put in danger simply because of the uniform you wear every day and it doesn't matter much if it's a New Haven badge, a West Haven badge or a Marshal's badge.

Your right about one thing you said, that it's a tough job that you wouldn't want to do. You know what? I think they (the marshal's) have it much harder than I did when I was on the job. Why? It's one thing to go on fight calls, answer hold up alarms or respond to an armed robbery or just the whole getting into physical confrontations, having to use force, having every action you take under the microscope of the citizens and media. Then I think about having to do much of those same job functions, only stuck inside a building with the same people I had to deal with on the street or being stuck in a cellblock with 150 or more prisoners on a daily basis? Has anyone posting on here been to any of the courts in New Haven? Especially the Elm Street courthouse, they have thousands not hundreds of cases on the dockets each day. Throw in all the estranged wives or husbands getting ugly divorces? It's like what I did in West Haven, only the entire city and all the same criminal element stuck inside one building. I actually have very much respect for those marshals trying to keep the peace in that place. I know a lot of cops who have retired after 20 or more years in WHPD and have then taken jobs with Yale PD or have taken the marshal's gig. I understand why they do it, what's better than getting your pension from working your 20, then going to the state as a marshal and work there and get another pension? But let me tell you, I have come to know many of those marshals, they do an honorable job and it's dangerous job, and I have no idea how they do it. The one thing I think is very unfortunate, is that the only time we really ever hear about them is when one of them makes the news for getting into trouble, they never seem to get the recognition or the respect for doing a honorable profession and we never hear about the service they provide the public by keeping those buildings safe for the public. Oh, and before I forget to mention this. As far as this retired cop is concerned, I don't see any difference between them or any other law enforcement entity.

Posted by: William Doriss | June 3, 2008 9:38 PM

Dear Mr. Blogmaster,

What happened to the last four comments on this thread? i swear there were 18 (eighteen) comments up there earlier today. One of them was mine. Hint: Search "exegesis" and "chutzpah."

Come on, put 'em back up! What kind of on-line newspaper is this anyway? Where's my attorney? Oh hi Mr. Blumenthal, do you know any good attorneys? Pro bono perhaps?

Mr. someone-in-the-know above, I thought he was pretty good. Are you going to take him off now?