ACLU of Connecticut Comment on Assault Conviction of Former Hartford Police Officer Sean Spell

HARTFORD — On Thursday, Sean Spell, a former Hartford police sergeant, was convicted of assault charges stemming from an incident in which he stomped on a handcuffed man’s head during an arrest in June of 2016. The following is a reaction from David McGuire, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut:

 

“This case shows, once again, what many people already know: police cannot police themselves. It is also yet another example of the justice system’s double standard for police who abuse their authority. One conviction of one abusive police officer does not point to a true system for holding police accountable to the people they serve. Connecticut’s abysmal track record on police accountability remains, and the truth is that Jayson Negron, Jose Maldonado, and other adults and children who have died after encounters with police have not seen justice served. Connecticut still needs independent police oversight and true police accountability.”

 

The ACLU of Connecticut’s previous statements about the case are available here: https://www.acluct.org/en/press-releases/charges-against-hartford-officer-show-flaws-of-police-oversight-system and here: https://www.acluct.org/en/press-releases/hartford-video-raises-serious-questions-about-police-oversight.