THE INNER-CITY NEWS - July 19, 2023 - July 25, 2023
Carmon Files Suit Over Wrongful Conviction by LAURA GLESBY New Haven Independent
Adam Carmon is suing the city of New Haven and six former New Haven police officers for the wrongful conviction that imprisoned him for nearly three decades. Carmon filed the lawsuit on Monday against the city as well as former city cops Michael Sweeney, James Stephenson, Gilbert Burton, James Ponteau, Peter Carusone, and the estate administrator of Leroy Dease (a detective involved in Carmon’s case who has since passed away). “I was framed for a child’s murder of which I was innocent,” Carmon stated in a press release. “I can never get back the almost 30 years that were taken from me. I believe this is the first step toward making sure the people who caused this nightmare are held accountable in some small way.” The lawyers who led Carmon’s petition for a new trial, New York-based Doug Lieb and David Keenan, are representing him in the lawsuit. Carmon and his lawyers are suing the detectives for suppressing and fabricating evidence, malicious prosecution, filing a warrant affidavit with false information, coercing self-incriminating statements from Carmon, and negligent
infliction of emotional distress. They are suing the city for indemnification, municipal liability, and negligence. The complaint they filed calls New Haven the “wrongful conviction capital of Connecticut,” noting that New Haven is home to 4 percent of the state’s population but more than 40 percent of people who have been exonerated. The attorneys wrote, “the City and its municipal policymakers were deliberately indifferent” to the corrupt police practices that led to Carmon’s conviction. Eight months ago, Superior Court Judge Jon Alander overturned Carmon’s conviction for the 1994 shooting that killed a seven-month-old baby, Danielle Taft, and paralyzed her grandmother, Charlene Troutman. Alander cited a wealth of evidence that the state had suppressed in Carmon’s original trial as well as new forensic science; “How could anyone have confidence in a verdict of guilty in a case such as this?” the judge wrote. Carmon removed his ankle monitor one month ago, a final step out of incarceration, when New Haven State’s Attorney John Doyle decided not to pursue a new trial against Carmon for Danielle’s murder. Carmon was imprisoned from age 22 to age 50. His lawyers wrote that he “was
a target of violence and harassment in prison” due to the horrific nature of the crime for which he was convicted, and that “due to grossly substandard dental care in prison, Mr. Carmon lost most of his teeth while incarcerated.” Shortly after he was incarcerated, Carmon’s son, Najee, was born. Over 27 years, they met and formed a relationship through prison visits and phone calls. The city did not respond to a request for comment by the publication time of this article. “It’s up to the jury to decide what will fairly compensate Mr. Carmon and hold the defendants accountable,” wrote Lieb. This is the latest in a series of lawsuits against the city and state tied to costly police and prosecutorial misconduct A previous lawsuit for the wrongful conviction of Scot Lewis resulted in a $9.5 million settlement from the city. Four other New Haveners received $4.2 million each in the settlement of a suit filed after they were released following more than a decade behind bars due to new information about their prosecution for a 1996 Quinnipiac Terrace murder. More recently, the city agreed to pay $45 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Randy Cox, whom police paralyzed while in custody.
LAURY GLESBY PHOTO Carmon, at left, walks out of court a free man after dismissal of his case.
Hometown Firefighter Named Asst. Chief by NORA GRACE-FLOOD New Haven Independent
The city’s fire department looked around the country to find its next assistant chief — and ended up selecting a longtime member of their own firehouses here at home.. The Westville native and veteran firefighter who got the job is Justin Bialecki. He took the oath of office from the first floor of City Hall Monday afternoon. Bialecki fills the role of assistant chief of administration, charged with overseeing the department’s budget, labor relations and personnel matters. That job’s gone unfilled since May, when former assistant chief Justin McCarthy stepped down from the post to pursue a similar job in the suburbs. Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said Bialecki was the only active New Haven firefighter to make it to a final round of five candidates considered following a nationwide search. Two retired New Haven firefighters were also serious competitors for the job. “Justin proved himself by his passion for his family, his love for the city, and his love for the firefighters,” Alston said at Monday’s swearing-in. “That’s all
From right to left, Bialecki with wife Jennifer, mother Marlou, and father Tony.
you want in a public servant, is that you care about people and you care about the work that you do.” Bialecki is one of two assistant chiefs.
Daniel Coughlin assumed the post of assistant chief of operations in March. Hired in 2004 by New Haven FD, the first and only place he has served so far
5
in his career, Bialecki has since held every line rank position from firefighter to deputy chief. The 39-year-old was born and raised in Westville. His father, Tony,
worked in the city’s economic development office. (“From a very young age, I’ve been hearing about city politics around the dinner table,” Justin Bialecki recalled.) After graduating from Wilbur Cross, Bialecki received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Albertus Magnus College. Bialecki said he was propelled into public service during his time in New Haven Public Schools. As a teenager, he spotted a flier on the wall of Wilbur Cross’ career service offices that prompted him to sign up for an emergency medical service (EMS) cadet program. He joined a class of 13 other New Haven high schoolers and 14 New Haven firefighters studying together to become emergency medical technicians: “The first time I did a ride time, I knew that was it.” “I’m blessed that I grew up here,” Bialecki told the Independent after his father pinned a new badge marking his promotion onto his old uniform. “I think it’s important to have New Haveners who grew up here and understand the city on the force; it’s a job where everyday is different and you’re in a lot of tough positions, but the baseline goal is to help people.”