Markeshia Ricks photo
Firefighter Aaron Brantley couldn’t declare his own innocence on the eve of appealing his conviction on charges of bribing a witness, so his supporters made his case for him.
Brantley was arrested and convicted of felony attempted bribery charges last year. The conviction cost him his job as a New Haven firefighter; this summer he scored a victory when the state Freedom of Information Commission overturned his termination after finding that the city’s Board of Fire Commissioners had violated FOI rules in the process his firing. Meanwhile, Brantley filed an appeal of his conviction, which begins to be heard in state court in Hartford at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
He and his supporters rallied on the steps of New Haven’s state Superior Court at 235 Church St. Tuesday calling for the appellate court to overturn his conviction.
Local 825 president Jimmy Kottage said Brantley is innocent.
“There is no credible evidence to convict this man,” he said. “In the court of law, it’s called reasonable doubt, and there has been plenty that has not been looked at. They don’t even have a day, time, or week when this supposed criminal act occurred. This man is innocent and he needs to be found innocent.”
Scot X. Esdaile (pictured), president of the Connecticut NAACP, called on people to watch the case closely because Brantley’s supporters believe that the case is ripe to be overturned on grounds that Superior Court Judge Brian T. Fischer allegedly misused his power in the conviction. Esdaile pointed to the court overturning the case of Billy Ray Wright, who was sentenced to 60 years for murder, back in 2014 for similar reasons.
“People of color are more likely to be stopped, frisked, questioned, charged, detained and thrown into jail,” Esdaile said. “Consequently, there are one million black fathers in jail. Firefighter Aaron Brantley is a father. He is not a threat to society. He is back on the job, serving his community.”
Capt. Gary Tinney, director of the Northeast region of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, called Brantley’s conviction an injustice that needs to be made right by the court system.
“They need to realize that this is a phenomenal young man and that they can’t allow this to happen,” he said.
Laurence Grotheer, spokesman for the city, said it is city policy to not comment on pending legal matters
Hit the play button to watch the full press conference below.
Read previous coverage of this case:
• FOI Report May Upend Brantley Termination
• Firefighter Brantley To Be Reinstated
Firefighter Fired
Convicted Firefighter’s Dismissal Hearing Delayed
Chief Seeks To Terminate Firefighter
2 Firefighters Suspended; Public Pays Twice
"People of color are more likely to be stopped, frisked, questioned, charged, detained and thrown into jail," Esdaile said. "Consequently, there are one million black fathers in jail."
This statement may be true but it doesn't belong in this story unless Esdaile in postulating that none of the million black fathers are guilty and by extension, neither is Brantley. Secondly, the constant drumbeat that all things are related to race in this case and others, is BS. Brantley was not targeted because he's black. The allegation is that he did something illegal, was convicted at a bench trial he chose over a jury trial if I remember this part correctly, The singular question is whether he is guilty or not. That's it. Make the case but leave race out of it, unless Esdaile is suggesting the judge and witnesses against Brantley convicted him out of racial prejudice. As an aside, it's an outrage that a felon is on our payroll, that the termination hearing wasn't conducted a second time, and correctly. People have been fired and suspended for far lesser things, not even arrest-able behavior, than attempting to rip off taxpayers.