ANOTHER HOME INVASION ARREST
A third arrest in a Groton home invasion case. Town police have charged 22-year old Brandon Chapman in connection with the October 4th incident on Buddington Road, where two men dressed in dark clothing and masks forcibly entered the home, and attacked one occupant repeatedly with a baseball bat, while keeping other residents at gunpoint. The injured resident was taken to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. Chapman is being held on a half-million dollars bond, and is to appear in court Tuesday.
CT FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has ordered that flags be lowered to honor the victims of a shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The Democratic governor on Monday ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until sunset on Thursday. Twenty-six people were killed during the shooting Sunday at a church in South Texas. Around 20 people were injured. Authorities say the shooter, 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley, was later found dead in his vehicle.
GEARING UP FOR ELECTION DAY
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Cities and towns across Connecticut are gearing up for municipal elections, where candidates ranging from mayor to school board will appear on Tuesday’s ballot. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are about 2.1 million total active registered voters in the state. Of those, there are 861,766 unaffiliated voters, 771,412 Democrats and 453,625 Republicans. Voter turnout is typically low for municipal elections, roughly 30 percent. However, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill says this year could be different given strong interest in some races. Merrill says her staff recently met with the State Elections Enforcement Commission and Federal Bureau of Investigation in advance of Tuesday’s election. She says voters and local election officials can report any Election Day problems by calling a hotline at 866-733-2463.
MALLOY’S PICK SIX
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – When Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy makes his pick for the next Connecticut chief justice, he will have nominated six of the seven people serving on the state’s highest court – a rare feat in the history of the governorship. Chief Justice Chase Rogers recently announced that she will be retiring in February, giving Malloy his first chance to pick the court’s leader since he took office in 2011. When Rogers leaves, Justice Richard Palmer will be the lone member not nominated by Malloy. He was picked by independent Gov. Lowell Weicker in 1993. But lawyers and other legal observers say the Supreme Court is rarely partisan and focuses mostly on interpretations of state law that often result in 7-0 rulings. Democratic Gov. William O’Neill nominated 10 justices during his tenure from 1980 to 1991.
PUT THAT BACK!!
WATERTOWN, Conn. (AP) – A Connecticut police officer has been accused of tampering with a raffle and stealing a prize from the event held to raise money for a cancer center. Christopher Masayda was arrested Monday on charges that include larceny in connection with the October theft. State police allege the off-duty Watertown officer tampered with raffle drawings at the police-sponsored charity golf tournament. They say he later stole a watch and bracelet that were donated by a local jeweler. Police say he also took a cellphone that had video of him stealing the items. Watertown police said Friday an officer was placed on administrative leave over misconduct allegations but did not identify the officer. Masayda was released on a promise to appear in court. It’s unclear if he’s being represented by an attorney.
