{news} Key Committee To Hold Hearing

[clifford thornton]

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ctkrayeske0113.artjan13,0,4923541story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state<http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ctkrayeske0113.artjan13,0,4923541.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state>



      POLITICS 

Key Committee To Hold Hearing
 Testimony About Conduct Of State Police Will Be Heard By State Lawmakers
January 13, 2007 
By CHRISTOPHER KEATING, Capitol Bureau Chief 

      A key legislative committee will hold a hearing on two of the most embarrassing issues facing the state police: a scathing internal affairs report on trooper misconduct and the controversial arrest of a political activist during the governor's inaugural parade.

      State Police Commissioner Leonard Boyle will testify on both issues Jan. 23 before the General Assembly's Public Safety Committee. The hearing is open to the public, but testimony will be limited to those asked to appear.

           

                 
                 
           
      Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will discuss a 207-page report his office co-authored on the internal affairs unit, which detailed allegations of trooper drug use, sexual abuse, excessive force, family violence and association with prostitutes.

      Four law-enforcement officials will talk about the arrest of Kenneth Krayeske, a political activist who was handcuffed during the Jan. 3 inaugural parade and charged with breach of peace and interfering with police. 

      Before the parade, Krayeske had been identified by state police as a possible threat to Gov. M. Jodi Rell. He had confronted her during last fall's election campaign at a Glastonbury parade and written critically about her recently on his website.

      But Krayeske's supporters say he was simply taking photographs of Rell during the Hartford parade and did nothing that could be deemed a threat. His attorney, Norman Pattis, said Krayeske took at least 50 photographs during the public parade, including 16 of Rell as she walked along the route near Bushnell Park.

      Pattis said he hoped to attend the hearing - which he described as a "show trial" - but is scheduled to be in court that day on another matter. A veteran trial attorney who is known as one of the state's best defense attorneys, Pattis remained confident about Krayeske's prospects.

      "If this case goes to trial and I lose it, I will shave my head on the steps of the state Supreme Court," said Pattis, who for years has worn a long ponytail.

      Krayeske has limited his comments on the advice of his attorney, and Pattis said that Krayeske "will not speak anywhere until he speaks to a jury."

      One police official described the Krayeske arrest as "a train wreck."

      As lawmakers have publicly criticized the arrest, some lawmakers have been jockeying behind the scenes over which committee would hold hearings.

      Some pushed for the judiciary or the government administration and elections committee to conduct the inquiry because they are deemed among the most aggressive in the legislature. The public safety committee finally was chosen because it retains jurisdiction over law-enforcement issues.

      The hearing will be conducted by state Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, and state Rep. Stephen Dargan, D-West Haven, the committee's co-chairs.

      "If something happened to the governor, there would have been criticism that law enforcement didn't do enough to protect the governor," Dargan said Friday night. "It's like a Monday morning quarterback. We want to make sure that law enforcement is not handcuffed in the job they're supposed to do."  




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