State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney watched the body camera and dash camera footage of a state trooper shooting to death a 19-year-old New Havener — and is now calling on the chairs of the state legislature’s Judiciary Committee to review the laws that govern the justification of deadly force used by police.
On Thursday Looney sent a letter to Judiciary Committee Co-Chairs Gary Winfield and Steven Stafstrom, urging the committee to use at least part of the upcoming short legislative session to review Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-22.
He sent the letter in the wake of Fair Haven teen Mubarak Soulemane’s death at the hands of State Trooper Brian North after a high-speed car chase from Norwalk to West Haven earlier this month.
The Middlesex state’s attorney and inspectors from the state Division of Criminal Justice are currently investigating the shooting death of the mentally ill New Havener.
Soulemane’s family said he suffered from schizophrenia. State police alleged that he carjacked an Uber driver in Norwalk and had a knife on him at the time of the shooting. He is one of three Connecticut people to die at the hands of police so far this year.
“From what was revealed by the released video of the encounter, there was no imminent threat to the officers or to a third person at the moment the officer used deadly force,” Looney (pictured) wrote in his letter to Stafstrom and Winfield, the latter of whom is also a state senator who represents areas of New Haven and West Haven. Looney represents areas of New Haven, North Haven, and Hamden.
“A teenager is now dead, his family has suffered a great loss and trauma, and the question many of us are asking, as we have after so many such incidents, is why?”
See Looney’s full letter below.
Honorable Gary Winfield, Co-Chair
Honorable Steven Stafstrom, Co-Chair
Joint Committee on Judiciary
Legislative Office Building, Room 2500
Hartford, CT 06106
Dear Senator Winfield and Representative Strafstrom,
As the Judiciary Committee begins its important work for the 2020 session, I ask that you review Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-22 and the justification of deadly force used by police.
The unfortunate death of Mubarak Soulemane reveals exactly why the law needs attention and examination. Although I am eager to review the State’s Attorney’s report once the investigation is complete, having reviewed the body cam footage released to the public, it is immensely disturbing that a person sitting in the driver’s seat, with the car doors closed, surrounded by three officers with guns drawn, was shot in the manner he was. From what was revealed by the released video of the encounter, there was no imminent threat to the officers or to a third person at the moment the officer used deadly force. A teenager is now dead, his family has suffered a great loss and trauma, and the question many of us are asking, as we have after so many such incidents, is why?
In order to maintain the public’s faith in our officers, we must ensure police are held accountable when force is not justified, that our laws permitting use of force are not unnecessarily broad, and that police are trained to avoid actions that increase the likelihood deadly force will be used, whether justified or not. It has now been thirty-five years since the U.S. Supreme Court in Tennessee v. Garner struck down the “fleeing felon” rule that authorized deadly force in pursuit of any felon who might escape capture, and instead mandated that deadly force may be used only where there is imminent danger of death or serious harm to the law enforcement officer or to a third person. Despite this clear ruling, law enforcement too often appears to struggle with its proper application.
Thank you for your past leadership on matters public of safety and police accountability, especially your efforts on transparency that have directly led to the timely release of more body cam footage. This initiative undoubtedly creates more public focus on the use of deadly force by police. I trust you will give this matter the urgent attention it deserves.
Sincerely,
Martin M. Looney
President Pro Tempore
Looney mis-states Garner. Garner changed the rule that any felon could be shot justified to prevent escape, but preserved it for felons likely to physically arm others, even if there is no imminent threat. That said, the legislature does need to review Connecticut laws, and, even more, police training, which often takes an expansive view of what constitutes a threat that justifies lethal force.