"ARREST ME, I DID IT, I BURNED HIM ALIVE" ANOTHER CASE OF THE JUDICIAL REVOLVING DOOR

Julia Rivera

 

 

 That was the chilling statement made to Hartford police Officers when they were arrived at a scene on South Street in Hartford last night. The female caller informed the dispatcher that she had just burned her boyfriend  to death.

The victim had actually fled the scene before the officer's arrival . A crime scene was located in the apartment.

The victim was eventually located at 18 South Street with severe 2nd degree burns over 70% of his body. The victim was eventually transported to the Bridgeport burn unit in critical condition. The burns were caused by the suspect dousing him in heated cooking oil.

The suspect , Julia Rivera was charged with assault 1st degree, reckless endangerment , criminal violation of a protective order and disorderly conduct..

Rivera had recently been arrested  by HPD after another domestic incident on August 20, 2013. She was released after that incident on a written promise to appear although the charges were apparently serious enough for a Judge to issue a protective order against her, the same order that she violated when she scalded the victim with boiling cooking oil last night.

Luckily for the victim, if he survives, Rivera is being held on a $200,000, at least until the Bail Commissioner reviews it, maybe another PTA.

TIME FOR THE HARTFORD CITY COUNCIL TO PAY THE PIPER

Although we keep hearing about Police officers being hired, the bottom line is they aren't.  The next recruit class is tentatively scheduled to begin in April of 2014 and will probably consist of maybe 20 new officers if things go well.

Today, almost one quarter of that new class was eaten up in one day by HPD Officers  announcing they are leaving. This exodus adds up to over 100 years of cumulative experience that will be leaving the Hartford Police Department to take their training and experience to other suburban towns and agencies.

According to sources, two Deputy Chiefs will be leaving to go to the Hartford County State's Attorneys Office, a Lieutenant and two sergeants will be moving north to one of our suburban neighbors as entry level Police Officers. Two other Sergeants will be reportedly leaving soon for positions in Canton and Glastonbury and one Captain left last week for an entry position in Plymouth.

These retirements will account for almost half of the  positions of April's class, if it happens.

Sources are also telling me that there are potentially 40 more officers that are eligible to retire before the April class would start. Many of those potential retirees are Lieutenants and above and could open up a huge leadership vacuum in the Department.

If you are doing the math, which apparently the Council isn't, this will potentially add up to a net loss of the ranks of the Police Department of a violent City

THIS IS NOT RESPECT

Senator Richard Blumenthal Addresses the Crowd at Tonight's Vigil

 

I have been supporting Reverend Henry Brown and Mother's United Against Violence  for years now.

Henry provides a much needed function bringing support and a level of respect to the families of homicide victims in Hartford by holding his vigils. I look over the crowds and family members that assemble at the vigils and always think to myself that no family should ever have to go through the pain that is visible at these vigils.

It is hard enough to bury a family member or a friend after they have lived a full life and pass from normal causes. I can't imagine getting that notification that a family member was gunned down or murdered by some thug over a spilled drink or a fight over a girl.

Like I posted earlier today, I question the values and nurturing and the level of respect we as a society are instilling in our young people. I'm not going to say my upbringing was perfect , but I had the benefit of two great parents, two grandparents that lived close and were heavily involved in the lives of myself and my brother and sister as well as neighbors that weren't afraid to step in when needed.

I think that prepared me for knowing and understanding the difference between right and wrong and what was socially acceptable behavior. I would put a candy wrapper in my pocket instead of throwing it on the ground. To this day I open the doors for senior citizens. I have only once, to the best of my memory used the "f" word in front of my mother . I never heard my father use foul language and one of the biggest things, I never saw my parents fight and after over 50 years of marriage, I don't think my father could have respected my mother any more than he did and he showed it right up until the day he died.

Yes, I grew up in an old school family and I don't regret it one bit. I hated it at the time on many occasions, but now I appreciate every moment of it.

As I look at a family grieving over a senseless homicide, I wonder how many of these vigils would not be happening if there were more "old school" type families around now. How do we get back to that, and how far as a society will we have to decline before we start demanding a change?

The final straw for me tonight was the graffiti left on the building where the vigil was held at Union Place. This was not about respect for anyone. Not the victim Miguel Delgado, not his family, not our community...no one. Numerous people had written in black permanent marker on the white marble trim of the historic building. This will most likely incur a sizeable bill to the building owner to remove the graffiti.

Graffiti Written on White marble Stone of Downtown Building

If the graffiti writers had grown up in a family that taught respect, they probably would have known to pick up a sympathy card at CVS and write their messages to the family of Miguel and dropped it in the mail. That would probably have meant more than defacing a building.

I am not claiming to be perfect, some would say far from it, but a strong family  and community definitely makes a difference.

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?

Let me start this posting by saying right up front the owner of "Up or on the Rocks" is a friend of mine.  With that being said, I am trying to look at the efforts to shut the club down objectively and with an open mind..

Does Jerry need to share responsibility fro the actions of his patrons... absolutely. These are customers that he attracts to the downtown entertainment district. But with that being said, there is more than enough blame to go around.

Let's start with the office of Mayor Segarra and his quick move to claim responsibility for shutting the club down. Untrue. although Segarra wishes he were a Superior Court Judge, he is not. It would take a court order to close the club down The owner of "Up or on the Rocks" voluntarily shut the club down. Whether he has made a temporary decision or a permanent decision is up to him. Time will tell what pressures are brought to bear and what the future of "Rocks" is.

Also keep in mind shutting down a business also relates to job loss and putting employees out of work, loss of taxes and is not just simply closing the doors. Approximately 30 people would lose their jobs if the club closes.

Another key issue is probably not known, but Mayor Segarra and his former Chief of Staff need to accept and share responsibility for creating an unsafe environment downtown. After the police department started feeling the increasing squeeze of their overtime budget initiated by the City Council, the "downtown Special " was eliminated. In full disclosure,  a couple or restaurants that don't attract the late night crowd, balked at portions of the proposal also.

Briefly, the "Downtown Special " was a contingent of Police Officers that patrolled the bar area every weekend. The detail was made up of police Officers working on overtime. Two years ago, for several reasons, the greatest being the overtime costs, the detail was eliminated and never reinstated.

As a way to ease the burden on the Police department budget, meetings were held between the City, barowners and the Hartford Police Union to come up with an alternative. The Union and the City agreed to a compromise for hiring Police Officers by the bar owners. Currently Officers are hired in 8 hour blocks for "PJ's" or private duty jobs. The union and the City agreed  to begin offering PJ's to the bar owners in 4 hour blocks which made the cost much more affordable to the bar owners to provide additional security oin the form of uniformed Police Officers.

According to sources familiar with the meetings, for whatever reason the deal was killed by Segarra's former Chief of Staff Jared Kupiec. If Mayor Segarra is serious about safeguarding downtown reveler's. tyhose talks and the process should be renewed right away and give bar owners that wish to be responsible the chance to affordably bring increased security downtown.

I mentioned initially that the bar owner needs to share responsibility for the clientele he opens up his doors for. But I have asked numerous people a question that I think is fair. What could he have done or  could he have done to prevent either homicide. They did not happen in the club, but several hundred feet away in surface parking lots. How could he have known that someone had a 9mm handgun in their car and would retrieve it once they went outside to settle an argument.

If we are talking about responsibility, lets put the major portion where it blames. On the families of these callous individuals who think nothing of shooting someone in the chest repeatedly over a spilled drink. Somehow, I think if the truth were known, these "kids" are not coming from loving, nurturing families that have brought them up with a sound value for human life.

As a society we are continuing and adding to a generation of people that make a decision to take human lives as quick as they make a decision what color shirt they are going to wear when they go out. Lets start putting some responsibility on gun manufacturers and the need to start developing "smart weapons". The latest generation of I-Phones is set to come out with a scanner to recognize the users thumbprint to access the phone.

Couldn't that same technology be used to secure weapons from thugs? And lets start putting responsibility on our legislature to pass laws that actually prevent gun violence, rather than feel good bills that do nothing to prevent any of our homicides in urban areas. I am pretty sure that none of the 18 homicides in Hartford this year  have been committed by an assault rifle, although many of the handguns seized do have the extended clips. Lets see what kind of teeth are in the sentencing for those violations.

One of the most offensive things about these shootings downtown though are the voices crying out that something needs to be done, "This hurts downtown". Does it take a homicide "Downtown" to get people to wake up speak out? Where has Hartford's business groups worried about the Downtown image been after any of the other killings throughout the City? Is it acceptable for shootings in the poorer areas of the City as long as it doesn't touch the Downtown community?

This is a small City and the outcry for justice and safety should be the same if the victim is from Albany Avenue, Garden Street, South Marshall Street , Park Street or Downtown.

Those rushing to judgement need to step back and take a deep breath and look at the situation.
Like I said before, what could have been done differently to prevent the situation? I have never believed in allowing 18 year olds into bars for any reason, but the fact of the matter is that neither shooter was under 18, so they could have been in any bar legally. The latest Union Place homicide victim was also 21.

The outcry from the Business Improvement District is, to me,  grandstanding. What actions did they take after the first shooting? Were any meetings held to address the security of patrons with bar owners after the first homicide or numerous other gun incidents downtown

What is being done to the other numerous clubs that have had shootings or homicides in their vicinity. It is no secret to anyone that the West Indian Social Club has had their far share of gun violence, and shootings as well as homicides of patrons in the area of the Club. I don't even hear our Mayor or City Council addressing that. I guess it is OK because it is not downtown.

What about the Cleveland Café. That has been a problem club that has also had homicides right inside the club and numerous shooting incidents. Ever hear that name being mentioned for a shutdown. Again not downtown, so apparently acceptable for their clients to be shot.

Club Vibez, again, a homicide in the lot. as well as other gun violence The Durham Street homicide victim from Sunday morning   and the female surviving shooting victim had both just left there as well as the man arrested for carrying an illegal gun in his waistband that was arrested by Police at the Ranch House That must have been one of the best armed places in Hartford Saturday night.

The action or more appropriately reaction should be the same, they all affect Hartford's image , whether they are Downtown or any other neighborhood. Mayor Segarra;s recent quote that "one homicide is one too many" should be true no matter what neighborhood, not just Downtown

BO-BO IN CUSTODY

FROM HPD:

At 1258 am, during the busy bar closing period,  HPD Officers working in the downtown area heard a single gunshot. It was determined that the shot was fired from the area of Church St. and High St. Officers located the victim at the corner of High St. and Allen St. The victim, a 21 year old male from East Hartford, was transported to St. Francis Hospital and pronounced at 0215 am. Preliminary information is that the incident began as a disturbance within the “Up  or On the Rocks” night club. After the club closed, and patrons exited, the disturbance reengaged in the street. Eventually a physical altercation ensued in the parking lot at the corner of High St. and Church St. At this location the suspect shot the victim, one time, in the chest. MCD Detectives worked tirelessly through the investigation and obtained an arrest warrant.

 

On September 3, 2013 the suspect, Angel Morales (Angel Morales-Lopez), DOB 3/28/88, of New Haven,  was arrested at the Hartford Police Department. Morales is being charged with of Murder and Criminal Possession of a Firearm, related to the murder of Miguel Delgado. Morales, accompanied by his attorney, surrendered to MCD Detectives at HPD headquarters. He will be held on a $1,000,000 bond.

 

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ANOTHER VIOLENT WEEKEND FOR HARTFORD

The weekend started early Friday morning with a fatal shooting at Church and High Streets in Downtown Hartford.

More guns were taken off the streets Saturday night by members of the Shooting task Force and the North Conditions unit.

On Saturday, August 31st, 2013, at 2200 hours, members of the Shooting Task Force noticed a large group congregating with extremely loud music in the rear of 369 Garden Street. Officers approached the group on foot at which point one male subject became nervous and quickly walked away from the approaching officers while manipulating an item in his waistband. The subject then transitioned into a full run while holding a weighted item in his front waistband area. Believing the subject was in possession of a firearm, officers pursued the subject. As officers were chasing the subject he removed a firearm from his waistband and threw it into a yard. The subject was apprehended at 202 Mather Street and the firearm was recovered.

 Jamahl Edwards, M/B/19 (2/17/1994), of 64 Clifford Drive, West Hartford, CT. was charged with

 Interfering w/ Police, Carrying a Pistol w/o a Permit, and Obliterated Serial Number. The recovered weapon was a  Smith & Wesson 9mm Handgun w/ obliterated serial number and magazine containing (14) live 9mm rounds.

 

 

 

 

On September 01, 2013 at 0215 hours, information was relayed to members of the North Conditions Unit (Officers Shelby and Colon) from Sergeant Sean Spell (STF) relative to an individual unlawfully in possession of a firearm at Paul's Ranch House, 3281 Main Street. According to sources, the subject had just left a North Main Street club and had walked to the Ranch House.

 

The information was obtained by Sgt. Spell via a confidential source. Sgt. Spell provided a physical and clothing description of the suspect. Officers Colon and Shelby canvassed the Ranch House and located a person matching the description provided inside the establishment. During a subsequent investigation it was discovered the suspect was in possession of a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-auto handgun.

 

 The suspect was a convicted felon and thus making it illegal for him to possess a firearm. The suspect Reggie Battle of 490 Hillside Avenue was charged with Carrying a Pistol without Permit and Criminal Possession of a Firearm . Battle was also a convicted Felon and as such is prevented from owning or carrying a firearm.

 

A few minutes later, Hartford Police received numerous calls of shots fired in the area of 16 Durham Street. Upon arrival, officers found two shooting victims at the address. A female victim received non life threatening wounds to the abdomen an hip area. The male victim received numerous gunshot wounds, including several to the head which proved fatal. The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Both victims had just left Club Vibz on North Main Street and were apparently ambushed when they arrived home. The male victim was from Manchester and had been in a dating relationship with the female victim for over a month.

 

On a positive note, Connecticut's new gun laws seem to be working well in the urban areas of Connecticut. No assault rifles have been seized recently by the Shooting Task Force being carried on Hartford's streets and not one of Hartford's 18 homicide victims this year have been killed with an assault rifle.

 

 

 

 

 

WHERE IS BO-BO?

Angel "Bo-Bo" Morales

 

 

Hartford police major crimes Detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for Angel "Bo-Bo" Morales, the suspected shooter in Friday mornings fatal shooting at Church and High Streets in Hartford.

 

Morales is from the New Haven area and is described as 5'8", 145 pound Hispanic male. Morales was last seen driving a 2008 Black Honda Accord with CT registration 657-XUO

 

Police consider Morales armed and dangerous. He is believed to be in the New Haven area. Anyone with information is asked to call either New Haven or Hartford Police.

 

The shooting is believed to have occurred over a spilled drink at a Hartford Club. The shooting took place in a parking lot several hundred feet away from the "UP or On the Rocks" nightclub at closing time Friday morning.

 

Morales has a criminal history for prior firearms arrests.