By Mark Davis
EAST HAVEN, Conn.
(WTNH)-- Two former East Haven police officers learned their fate Tuesday. They
were both convicted of conspiring to violate and violating the civil rights of
members of the Latino community.
David Cari's
lawyer pleaded for leniency because the former East Haven cop had been shot in
the line the duty and suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The judge didn't
buy any of it and at Hartford Federal Court Tuesday, sentenced him to 2 and a
half years, plus three years probation.
A large group of
East Haven Latino residents sat through the four hour sentencing hearing.
"We feel sad
for him, for his family. As a Christian community, we believe in the redemption
but the consequences, any act has consequences," said Cecilio Cuapio, East
Haven.
"We are glad
that justice was served, we are also glad that our stories and our testimony
were taken seriously," said Armando Morales, East Haven.
They are all
parishioners with the priest that took the now famous video that led the U.S.
Justice Department to condemn the East Haven police department and arrest four
cops.
"Two men have just made really bad
decisions and bad actions and now are suffering the consequences for their
actions. It's not a day for us to rejoice by any stretch of the
imagination," said Rev. James Manship, St. Rose of Lima Church.
The sentencing
hearing for Dennis Spaulding is still underway. Another East Haven cop is
already serving two years, the fourth will be sentenced next month.
"We just
wanted this harassment and brutality to stop," said Morales.
The prosecutor and
the judge said that without the video, this case may have never happened.
Cari who has been
in prison since October will be out for the next five weeks to settle his
personal affairs. He reports to federal prison on February 25th.
