Public Defense

Time to eat crow, Madam Governor

By Gideon

It's okay, you can eat crow

It happened. I’m just surprised that it was this quick. After yesterday’s frantic call by the Governor for David Pollitt to be reincarcerated, it is fitting that today the prosecutor withdrew the warrant and dropped charges.

New London States Attorney Michael Regan told Judge Susan B. Handy that GPS records probation officials relied on when drafting the warrant for Pollitt’s arrest were incorrect.

“The GPS system was not functioning properly at the time the reading was taken,” Regan said. The disclosure left egg on the faces of judicial officials and government leaders, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who had demanded that Pollitt be returned to prison. On the way out of court, Pollitt, who had denied he left his sister’s yard, quipped to a probation official, “Kind of embarrassing, isn’t it?”

Heh. He’s funny. That’s exactly what the family said happened. A malfunctioning GPS. No case. Welcome back home, Mr. Pollitt.

This would have been the perfect opportunity for the Governor to atone for yesterday’s rush to judgment. But we in Connecticut have come to not expect anything. Instead of apologizing to Mr. Pollitt and the citizens of Connecticut for her embarassing rush to judgment, she focused on the problems with the GPS system:

“It is disappointing and frankly maddening to learn that the GPS technology used to monitor Mr. Pollitt was not working properly. We use GPS tracking for a reason,” Rell said. “In fact, we pay quite a bit of money for it ? but it’s not about the money, it’s about safety. There is no excuse for the failure to track an offender.

“This incident raises a number of troubling questions: Is the GPS system we are using reliable? Can we be sure this will not happen again?” Rell continued. “And what safeguards are in place to let us know when a problem arises? The reliability of this technology is absolutely essential. Both the Judicial Branch and the Board of Pardons and Paroles need to address these questions and ensure the accurate tracking of all offenders wearing monitoring systems.

“Frankly”, I find this “maddening”. Instead of ackowledging her mistake, she’s placing blame elsewhere and asking for others to be held accountable. When will you be held accountable, Mme Gov.? When will you apologize to the rest of the citizens of the State and show that you care about more than just the rich white folk that live in Southbury. I may not have voted for you, but you’re still the Governor of Connecticut, not white suburbia.

Oh, but there’s more. It’s not like she’s learned anything from this:

At the first violation of his probation conditions ? no matter how minor ? he should be remanded to prison.”

Yes, continue to show the citizens of this State that you care nothing about due process or the judicial system.

This was an opportunity to make amends. Unfortunately, I think she’s underestimating the anger this will foster in the non-suburbian communities in CT.

This was a time to eat crow, Governor, not dig your head further in the sand. Tsk, tsk.

Full post as published by A Public Defender on September 12, 2008 (boomark / email).