Who's buying this load of bull.Hartford police took full responsibility Tuesday for the arrest of political activist Ken Krayeske at Gov. M. Jodi Rell's inaugural parade, telling legislators that they were not influenced by a state police flier describing Krayeske as someone who might be disruptive.
Although it has to be hard for the chief of police to fall on the sword for the team, his testimony is laughable at best. I'll let the article tell the story.
Hartford Police Chief Daryl K. Roberts testified at a legislative hearing that Krayeske was arrested because he "breached the parade route," a claim disputed by Krayeske and witnesses, not because of a threat assessment by state police.
"He was not arrested based on the picture," Roberts said, referring to a two-page state police flier with Krayeske's photo that was distributed to Hartford and state police on the inaugural parade security detail.
Okay, let me get this straight. Krayeske's arrest had nothing to do with a TWO PAGE FLYER THAT HAS DISTRIBUTED TO HARTFORD AND STATE POLICE OFFICER which had a full description of Krayeske including photos of his current and past drivers license.
Is he serious?
Police initially described Krayeske as aggressively approaching the governor when arrested, but a Courant reporter accompanying Rell saw no such approach. And a witness said Krayeske was arrested after Rell had passed by him without incident as he shot photos from the curb.
Now, lets
go back to Krayeske's website, take a look at the pictures he took at the parade (FYI: the metadata information including the time and date stamp are embedded in the images), and hear his side of the story.
If you're still questioning the timing of the arrest, check out the metadata embedded in the photos. My camera isn't set for Daylight Savings Time, so it reads an hour later. The CT Air National Guard was taken before the Rell picture. In about 30 seconds at the spot on the corner of Ford and Pearl, I snapped about 23 photos before my shoot was unceremoniously terminated.
Nuff said.
Lets continue and learn more about how dangerous Krayeske was on the day of his arrest.
Krayeske, who had suggested on a political website that demonstrators protest outside Rell's inaugural ball the evening of Jan. 3, was not released from custody until about 1 a.m. on Jan. 4, long after the ball had ended.
But Roberts said no one asked Hartford police to keep Krayeske in custody until after the ball. He said Hartford police decided on their own to set bail of $75,000 for Krayeske, which kept him locked up until a state bail commissioner ordered him released without bail.
Roberts said his officers set a high bail because Krayeske was "evasive" and "uncooperative" after his arrest. Krayeske, an anti-war demonstrator who once taught protesters how to behave if arrested, had asked for a lawyer and refused to answer questions.
He was dangerous because he did the right thing...refuse to answer any questions and request his attorney.
FYI: If you're wondering why this case is serious, take a look at this.
Legislators invited Boyle, Roberts and other law-enforcement officials to appear before the public safety committee and explain how Krayeske, who managed the gubernatorial campaign of Green Party candidate Cliff Thornton last year, came to be classified a security risk.
Boyle said state police did not consider Krayeske a possible threat until he posted this note on a website: "Whose going to protest the inaugural ball Jan. 3 with me? No need to make nice after watching this documentary."
The documentary referred to an examination of the troubled state juvenile training center.
Boyle said the Web posting prompted his officers to check Krayeske's record, finding that he once had been arrested and fined $50 for protesting at the launching of a nuclear submarine in Groton. On that basis, Krayeske's photo was shown to the parade security detail.
You're telling me that a well-known freelance journalist/blogger and campaign manager for Green Party candidate Cliff Thorton, was arrested based on a
posting on a blog?
Is anyone buying this? Well, several Democrats aren't drinking the kool-aid that's being offered...
Rep. Jim Shapiro, D-Stamford, read Boyle a state law prohibiting intelligence gathering for political reasons and questioned the propriety of circulating a flier about Krayeske.
"I think a mistake was made here," Shapiro said. "It may have been an honest one, but I think a mistake was made."
I think Shapiro is being nice here. If you know anything about this case, then you know that the
excuses explanation being offered by the police doesn't add up.
Hmm, I thought his approval ratings were to go up after a State of the Union address...
