SHOOTING IS A HOMICIDE
A fatal shooting over the weekend in New London has been ruled a homicide. The state office of the chief medical examiner says 21-year old Quvonte Gray died from a gunshot wound to the head. City police responded to 4 Orchard Street Saturday afternoon around 3:15 PM to find Gray dead at the scene. Police say Gray was a Florida resident who stayed in New London for extended periods of time. Authorities are looking for 18-year old Jamir Johnson to question him about the murder.
LOOKING FOR NEW LAWYER
A Taftville man going on trial for a second time in the murder of his wife may be seeking new legal counsel. The state-appointed attorney representing 54-year old Chihan Eric Chyung says she wants out, telling a Norwich Superior Court judge today there’s been a-quote-complete breakdown in the attorney-client relationship. Hamden attorney Cheryl Heffernan didn’t elaborate. The judge postponed any decision on Heffernan’s request till January 12th. Chyung was convicted in 2014 to fatally shooting his newlywed wife, but the state Supreme Court overturned the verdicts citing inconsistencies. Chyung remains in prison while awaiting a second trial, most likely to occur next year.
TWO COAST GUARD CADETS MAY FACE PUNISHMENT
NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) – The U.S. Coast Guard Academy says an investigator has recommended discipline against two white cadets for harassing a black classmate. The investigation was prompted by an October incident in which a cadet played a racially offensive song in the black cadet’s room. After leaving to tell a peer counselor, the black cadet returned to find the background screen on his computer had been changed to show the Mississippi state flag, which includes the Confederate battle flag. The New London-based academy said Wednesday two investigations by the Coast Guard found the white cadets harassed their classmate. An investigator recommended the students be charged with violations of the Regulations of the Corps of Cadets, but it’s unclear what discipline that would entail. Superintendent Rear Adm. James Rendon has said he was angered by the episode.
NEW DEAL FOR NORWICH TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS
A new three-year contract is in place for unionized teachers and administrators in the Norwich Public Schools. The Board of Education approved the three-year package this week, which takes effect July 1st of next year. Teachers below the first step of their pay grade would only get step increases in the first two years of the agreement, while those on the top step would get pay hikes of less than 1-percent in those two years. Year three features salary hikes ranging from 1-point-4 to 2-point-36 percent. Teachers would pay more for health insurance, and see their daily work day increase by five minutes in years one and two. Administrators would receive pay hikes of less than 1-percent in the first two years, and one-percent in year three, plus pay more for health insurance.
ANOTHER DRUG SENTENCE
More than 5 years in prison is in store for a New London man for distributing heroin that led to two overdose deaths. 30-year old Nestor Santana was sentenced today in Hartford Federal Court. Connecticut’s U-S Attorney says Santana was arrested in September of last year on drug charges, and later pled guilty to one count of possessing and distributing 100 grams or more of heroin. Authorities say Santana helped supply the drug that caused an overdose death of a 17-year old female in a Groton motel room in May, 2016, and the death of a 34-year old Montville woman in an apartment during the same month.
FLAGS TO BE LOWERED
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will direct all U.S. and state flags to be lowered to half-staff in remembrance of the children and educators killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The flags will be lowered from sunrise to sunset on Thursday. That day will mark five years since Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and six educators at the Newtown school before turning the gun on himself. The Democratic governor says all other flags- municipal, corporate or otherwise -will also be lowered on Thursday.
ALLEGED NOTE-STEALER IN COURT
ROCKVILLE, Conn. (AP) – A Willimantic woman has made her first court appearance after being charged with attempting to steal the notes of right-wing commentator Lucian Wintrich during his appearance last month at the University of Connecticut. Catherine Gregory is charged with attempted sixth-degree larceny and disorderly conduct after taking papers from a lectern as the Gateway Pundit writer prepared to give a speech titled “It’s OK To Be White.” Wintrich was originally charged with breach of peace after grabbing Gregory in an attempt to retrieve the notes. Those charges were dropped this week. Gregory did not enter a plea Wednesday and her case was continued to January 9. Outside the courthouse, Gregory thanked people for what she called “their support and solidarity in the struggle against racism and fascism.”
