From Brian Lockhart, CT Post:
City Councilwoman Karen Jackson said authorities have dismissed their case against her 15-year-old son, who was charged June 27 with resisting and interfering with the officers after fleeing from police investigating the theft of a volleyball.
But, Jackson said, the Internal Affairs complaint she filed alleging those cops used excessive force, including a Taser shock, on her son, Gabriyel Fraser, is still pending.
Jackson on Tuesday provided Hearst Connecticut Media with a copy of an “erasure of record” order, issued earlier that day by Superior Court Judge Robert Clark, for Fraser. Jackson said prosecutors dismissed the charges against her son in late September.
Juvenile court records are not publicly available and the erasure of record order does not detail why the case was dismissed. Jackson has used her son’s name in discussions about the case with Hearst.
Full story here.
On Monday evening I spoke to the City Council on Bridgeport victims: Linda Lee with her van confiscation for four months; the wide group of residents open to frequent exceptions to waste water treatment; and school bullying with more than 30 schools in the City and fewer than 20 incidents of BULLYING in Superintendent report (?) FYI:
City Council members, greetings at this first autumn meeting. Days are growing shorter. Nature is changing colors and survival in the City if you are poor or otherwise oppressed is getting more difficult. It pays to keep a score card on resiliency or sustainability when problems come along and you, as a representative of all the people, have to make wise decisions or vote about spending scarce funds.
First some old business. In this case the victim continues to be Linda Lee. Last Council meeting Ernie Newton directed her to write a letter to Chief Perez. (Copy in Bridgeport NAACP newsletter.) He had offered his help publicly at this meeting back in the middle of June. What has happened? Where is his follow through? The City Attorney indicates that they approved the towing process. When Ms Lee returned her plates to the MVD last Friday, they had a different viewpoint sharing that a car with taxes paid, registered with CT, with plates intact and insurance paid should not have been towed. So what does Linda Lee do now? She is a victim the same position as former property owners who have been foreclosed on for WPCA or taxes where you saw that there were problems with City process? Our City Ordinance and State MVD process indicates that she should have received one or more letters during and/or at the end of 30 days that would have told her what became of her vehicle? That did not happen. She is outraged and you are witnesses to Acting Police Chief Perez, looking like a nice guy, but failing to provide the guidance and administrative direction to correct this problem? How will you help this victim? Does she need to sign up for multiple Council meetings to get your attention?
New Business: Tonight you have two resolutions on your agenda relating to $100, 000,000 of authorization for financing of Sewer Overflow facilities and for “upgrading and replacing West Side Treatment plant facilities”. Within the past two weeks we had days of rain exceeding .04 inches. That meant that Bridgeport WPCA allowed raw, untreated, waste and sewage into waterways, something we have done for years. Part of the continuing problem has been a unitary system where bathroom waste and storm water flow into the same pipes. When surfaces drain the rain, the effluent does not get treated. Where does our conversion of the old piping system in the City stand today? What neighborhoods have a dual system? Which are charted for change? Will this $100 Million authorization allow completion of 100% of sewer reconstruction in addition to improving the West Side plant? When the Finance and OPM departments say that the WPCA borrowings will have “no material impact on city finances” is that because when grants are made there is no impact, but when loans or bonds come into use, the WPCA will include those repayments in the WPCA charges?
The nineteenth century system holds back enjoyment, health safety, and promotion of water based development. What does the entire plan to carry us to 21st Century look like? Please study that before approving this authorization when the Committee reviews it.
How about young students, as school victims of bullying without being heard and no consequences? I am not referring to the school population because of unfair State funding, but rather victims of bullying within a Bridgeport school? The subject is serious enough that the State of Connecticut mandates a “climate control officer” for each school system. The assistant superintendent so identified last year was cut last year. Who handles the situation now? What happens when a principal or counselor cannot identify bullying? When they ignore a situation or fail to report it? Or if it is racial based bullying can become ethnic and tribal? Does your Council subcommittee study such issues, with many victims each year? What about providing a hearing, like Hall Neighborhood House does in spring, so that the public can learn what is current?
There are victims in many parts of the City. You must represent the concerns of victims, fairly, equally and justly. Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee
10-1–18
I must say that I’m still troubled Bridgeport City Councilwoman Karen Jackson’s 15 year old son Gabriyel Fraser. There still to many unanswered questions by the police.
JML, something of interest that might help your position concerning Sewer Overflow facilities and for “upgrading and replacing West Side Treatment plant facilities”. Within the past two weeks we had days of rain exceeding .04 inches. That meant that Bridgeport WPCA allowed raw, untreated, waste and sewage into waterways, something we have done for years. Well, JML, how many Bridgeport public school were impacted by the rain in the past two weeks, were any of these public schools were closed and students were relocated to other facilities including to a church?
Ron,
I raise subjects and questions that prompt other questions like the one you asked. At the moment my attention is not on sewer waste in schools but rather a situation where BULLYING in the schools may be more rampant and misunderstood than as presented in the Superintendent’s review where 19 incidents were reported and there are almost twice as many schools. Need checking? Time will tell.
JML, correction and follow-up, the school that was closed was not a public school, the parents who mentioned this to me have a son that goes to Curialeand the other goes to St. Raphael, classes were held in the church because of the rain.
JML
Where’s the Pink Volleyball?
Do you have it?
Bob, To my point, is the PINK VOLLEYBALL part of a “cold case” in Bridgeport?? If the Police in that sector hung out at the court would they get to know the youth there? And the youth get to know them?? Would such time be considered time well spent? Time will tell.
LMFAO…what is “pink volleyball?”
I have consulted the Police Reports of the “capture” and “takedown” of the young man, Karen Jackson’s son. And with his Mother’s permission I also interviewed him listening to what he claims happened on the specific evening. There is an incredible disparity between the adults and the youth story telling.
Were we to return to the initial incident that provoked public safety response and consider that trespassing and a missing beach ball brought out this level of relations, perhaps “community policing” of some type needs more consideration?? The young man in question was a cross country runner and not a 250 pound tackle on the football team. Time will tell.
Let’s go to the video!!!
Oh, sorry. AJ is still trying to figure out how the damn things work.
Is John Marshall Lee simply talking to himself???
Come on.. Bob Walsh…do you admit that you see nothing of concern in the issues brought up by JML?
Frank, Bob Walsh is not saying that he’s not concern about the issues brought up it’s the old the fable of Aesop “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!”
Mr.Ron Mackey et al… I listen to JML as I listen to all other people. I take into consideration into what is said;I keep what is important to men and discard what is not important to me. “Some” people here on OIB are just disregarding what JML say’s based on a personal bias. Again, i take in the info that I find necessary and disregard any other stuff.
Frank, JML does a lot good and hard work by researching different issue concerning the management and running of the City but JML needs to know his audience, when he speaks at the public speaking portion of council he acts like he’s a professor lecturing students and posing questionings and then waiting for the council members to comeback with their homework assignment completed. If you question JML he’ll reply back with question instead of an answer and the same thing at the public speaking portion of council. He does not give any answers to the questions that he poses.
Ron, Aesop’s story reminded us that repetition about the same condition that raises the alarm, such as the wolf chasing the sheet dulls listeners to what may be true and actual at a subsequent time. However, Aesop did not talk about the watchdog who not only alerts the sleepy taxpayers to revenue shortfalls, but also to expenses that annually exceed budget, different problems, as well as to people employed on boards or commissions who are not so entitled. And to suggesting quality practices to make for better governance in this City. And who asks questions that should have ready answers from those who are spending our funds, but frequently ignore the opportunity to speak up.
Last night Kevin Lembo, Current State Controller talked about the accountability measure in the form of accessible Checkbook internet lookup for State funds as they are spent. Bridgeport enjoys an installed version of the checkbook as it applies to City expenditures. We pay $24,000 annually for this privilege. I have asked how many hits have occurred in a month or since installed. No answer from City. And no comments from OIB readers on use of same. Is this the same story as Aesop, Ron? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee, I don’t have to agree with you but keep on doing what you do.
I am concerned with the situation about the son of Councilperson Karen Jackson but this has been an ongoing community discussion about the Bridgeport Police Department. However, i am more interested in the $100 million WPCA bond/bill that is moving through City Council consideration. How do we know that CCpersons AND the general public known about the WPCA plan to spend the $100 million dollars, what actually will be done, the details of the bonding(interest rate etc) and how much will this cost the Bridgeport Community in the long term. I would say that work is needed on BPT’S sewer system and the two waste treatment plants.
Joe Ganim wants to bring back The Guardian Angels and dump AJ.
Curtis Sliwa will make a great chief for Bridgeport!
And his ex-wife, Lisa Evers, who is a reporter on FOX 5 News in New York would be a plus with her reporting about her ex-husband work in Bridgeport.
Thank you Jim. At least that was an intelligent answer that did not end with a question.
Keep them coming.
I think I’m going to go out and bully some affluent now.
Did you mean effluent?
No I meant affluent. Can’t stand them trying to bully people from Bridgeport all of the time.
In the words of the esteemed council member “stay your butt there (and) tell them call your mom”.
Does that mean comply with the police officer’s directive?
No Tom being White, that means sit down because these police could very well do to you what police have been doing all across America to young black’s, shoot and kill your Black ass for a lot less than a pink volleyball. She was giving him life lessons for a Black person in this America.
Don, for Brett Kavanaugh it was boys being boys, no big deal or 45 saying that he would grab a woman that he didn’t know by her pussy but that was just locker room talk by the guys.
Asinine remarks as usual.
Asinine!!!!!! Here’s what’s asinine, Brett Kavanaugh was a drunk in school from age 17 to 21 it was boys being boys, no big deal or 45 saying that he would grab a woman that he didn’t know by her pussy but that was just locker room talk by the guys.
Asinine is several steps above the behavior Donald Trump and his cronies exhibit toward women, minorities, the handicapped and just about everyone else that is not an angry old white man.
Ok let’s say for the sake of argument these kids were NOT on someone else’s property, there would be no need to call the police. On the other hand if these kids didn’t run when the cops showed up and complied perhaps the situation would have been handled differently.
The onus is on Mr. Jackson and his pals the lesson here is stay out of other people’s yards.
Is it possible that there were several youths in a yard where a complaint was made? Is it also possible that there may have been as many as 8-10 youths playing basketball at the playground? Granted those hypothetical, is is also possible that the young man who got tased was not one of those who caused the police call?
While I would argue for paying attention to what a public safety officer asks me to do, I do not have the lived experience of the youths in question (or of the officers in question) which may send them in different directions, respectfully. Does this argue for more regular and basic patrolling that sometimes is called community policing? And if not, why not? Too expensive? Too few officers? Current staff does not believe it works, despite the practices of many departments? Time will tell.
JML, when I was kid living in PT Barnum Apartments on Saturdays we would go to see a movie at the Beverly Theater on Fairfield Ave and we would go through St. Ann Church driveway and over the fence into the backyard of two houses and we might have picked up a apple on the ground as we ran. We were just taking a shortcut, now sometimes we were told as we ran not to come onto their property and we didn’t and once people put up signs saying no trespassing we didn’t do it any more.
Or die???
*** Charges were dropped which means I.A nor the P/D commission is going to say or do diddly-squat! Regardless on weather council-woman K. Jackson voted for D.Roach or not.***