nothin Stratton Weighs Mayoral Run In Wake Of Probe | New Haven Independent

Stratton Weighs Mayoral Run In Wake Of Probe

Thomas MacMillan File Photo

A city alder who recently resigned his seat said Tuesday he will consider running for mayor next year because of a new police internal investigation into an incident in which he was attacked.

The former alder, Michael Stratton (pictured), made the declaration in a written statement.

He sent out the statement in response to the announcement that Police Chief Dean Esserman has ordered an internal investigation into why cops never wrote up a report about visiting an apartment where a woman had allegedly attacked Stratton on June 13 at 1:41 a.m. after he told her he was breaking off a relationship.

Stratton also gave his side of what occurred that night.

I think Mayor [Toni] Harp may just have brought herself an opponent: me. It’s time a human being ran this city not a machine,” Stratton declared. 

He added that he won’t make a final decision on a run until he can settle myself into life after marriage and get reinvolved in three children’s lives. Not having aldermanic responsibilities will allow me to do this over three-six months. I will not see this city or me back down.” Stratton resigned from his post as alder Monday, citing personal and family concerns. He served six months of his first term representing Ward 19, which comprises Prospect Hill and part of Newhallville. In his short time in office, he emerged as an outspoken budget watchdog and organizer of the People’s Caucus, a faction of city legislators opposed to the board’s labor-backed majority.

Harp responded Tuesday afternoon that had nothing to do with the investigation and didn’t know about it until after it began. The issue isn’t about him. It’s about the police department getting its house in order,” Harp said. She said Stratton has played a constructive role in debates over the city budget.

The reason we have a great country is because people who think they’d be a better leader have an opportunity to run for office,” Harp remarked.

Late-Night Argument

The incident occurred at the Kelly House apartments on Crown Street at 1:41 a.m. on Friday June 13. According to a report of the incident, officers responded to 911 calls about a domestic disturbance.

They found Stratton, who’s 48, in the lobby of the Kelly House. He had just stepped off the elevator, bloodied. He told officers that a woman upstairs had beaten him, according to the report.

Officers subsequently interviewed the woman, who is 20 years old. She confirmed that she had hit Stratton; she could not recall how many times. They had had an argument; the two were in a relationship, and Stratton had announced he was breaking it off. The police arrested the woman on breach of peace and assault charges. They did not arrest Stratton.

The police report made no mention of the officers going upstairs to visit the apartment.

Esserman (pictured) said Tuesday he ordered the investigation because he has subsequently learned that other officers did check the apartment.

I want a full accounting of what happened that night when the police responded,” Esserman said.

At issue is whether drugs were visible at the scene that police ignored, and whether Stratton was given special treatment. A small amount of marijuana” was observed in the apartment, according to police; the marijuana was not seized.

Stratton responded Tuesday that the marijuana did not belong to him.

The Independent interviewed the woman the day she was arrested at the Kelly House apartments. She confirmed that Stratton did not hit her. I was out of line,” she said. Neighbors told the Independent that they heard banging and loud noises at the time, which led them to call 911. She was released from police custody on a promise to appear in court; her next court date is July 24. She said she and Stratton were living in the apartment at the time of the incident. (Stratton had rented a permanent new apartment in his ward at the time.) The woman could not be reached for further comment on Tuesday.

Stratton offered this version of the events that night:

Since January I have fought for the people of New Haven and it took a toll on me and my family. By April I was separated from my wife … The woman who attacked me had only known me for a few weeks. She did so after I said I thought the relationship was not something I wished to pursue given the age difference.

When I attempted to leave she struck me repeatedly I did nothing to resist the attack knowing that even the slightest response would land me in jail and make me equally responsible. After taking 15 – 25 hits to the the face and body I managed to call 911 and ask for help. I did this to avoid having to physically respond. I did not require medical assistance but I did have several bruises and a swollen lip.

The police officers who responded asked me very pointed questions and determined I was in fact the victim and had done nothing to cause the assault and nothing to resist it.

This is entirely accurate.

They also asked for the keys to my apartment. Without hesitation I gave them the keys. They wanted to ensure no one else was involved.

I was not at all impaired at the time.

No effort was made to protect the victim’s name here and there are no facts suggesting I did anything wrong.”

Next Political Steps

Stratton accused the Harp Administration of launching the investigation in order to get press coverage that would embarrass him.

” I am not embarrassed to be human and make mistakes in who I decide to date or live with,” he continued. This is a problem every person has faced. It is especially possible when you are coming off a difficult marital separation. There is a rebound effect that causes rash decisions on partners. That would be my only crime.” I acted with kindness and honesty with all involved. That’s what I care about most.”

He called the 20-year-old woman who hit him a good person who loved too much’ and hurt someone she cared about. I get that and I forgive her. I will never forgive the vindictive Harp administration.”

Harp (pictured) responded that she learned of the investigation at 11:30 a.m. when Esserman notified her that it had already begun. She said she supports the decision to investigate.

I would never do that,” she said of Stratton’s suggestion that she played a role in launching the probe. I would never want to embarrass someone. If he’s frankly embarrassed, the only way that he could be embarrassed in the kind of world we live in which there is no privacy is if he did something for which he is embarrassed. I didn’t take any action on it. I didn’t feel it was my place. He wasn’t arrested. It was just an unfortunate situation.”

Late Tuesday morning, Harp said, the chief came to me and said, We have some concerns about June 13.’ I didn’t even know what June 13’ was. He had to remind me there had been this problem at the Kelly House. He felt people needed to know when reports are not done accurately, people need to know.” Harp said she agrees with Chief Esserman that allegations of police misconduct need to be investigated.

For some reason, the fact that police went up to secure the [apartment] was never in record,” Harp said. The chief just wants whoever did that on the force — to make sure it’s in the formal record.”

The public has got to have confidence that everything that happens is in the public record,” she said.

Harp said the existence of the investigation does not suggest police did anything untoward. All we want is for there to be transparency and for there to be a written record.”

Meanwhile, police union President Louis Cavaliere Jr. said Tuesday that he is supporting the officers. I feel right now from what I know there was no wrongdoing.” He said officers were ordered today to write supplemental reports about the incident. He suggested the officers might have been confused” when writing reports on June 13.

Melissa Bailey contributed reporting.

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