PJ's info:
Watchdog for Public Official Predators
houndin' the Cult of corruption, cowards & commies
www.watchdog4pop.blogspot.com
This is not fair or accurate coverage by the reporter here....because the real culprits behind the scene are NOT mentioned, and one of them is even a Commissioner on the panel for the disciplinary hearing...
the reporter knows this also.
Contact me for details...
PJ
[tel. snipped]
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http://www.courant.com/news/local/sr/hc-marshal0128.artjan28,0,7397694.story
Three State Marshals Face Hearings
Men Could Lose Their Licenses Over Civilians' Alleged Participation in Deadbeat Dad Sweep
By DAVE ALTIMARI
Courant Staff Writer
January 28 2007
Three state marshals are facing disciplinary hearings following an investigation into a sweep of suspected deadbeat dads in Waterbury last October in which two civilians participated.
The State Marshal Commission voted last week to refer charges against John Barbieri, Brian Hobart and Jon Gallup to a three-panel committee to hold a full hearing that could result in the men's losing their licenses or being fined.
Barbieri, who organized the Oct. 21 sweep, is facing three allegations, including using his powers to allow a civilian, Michael Brown, to participate in the sweep and then to sign vouchers and get paid for serving legal documents known as capiases.
Gallup is facing charges of carrying a gun on the sweep, even though he was not properly certified. Hobart, who was not involved in the October raid, is facing charges that he had previously served capiases with Brown and approved payments to him.
The commission voted unanimously that probable cause existed to refer the allegations to the commission's oversight committee, State Marshal Commission Chairman Dennis Kerrigan said.
"They will now get a full hearing in front of that committee," he said.
Brown was one of 14 applicants who had been approved to have a criminal and financial background check done - the final step before becoming a state marshal.
The commission has put his application on hold pending the outcome of the investigation.
The marshal commission started investigating after The Courant reported that two civilians, Michael Brown and Raymond Brown, had gone on the sweep.
The investigation, conducted by board member William Cote and legal counsel Betty Collins, included interviews with all five of the marshals involved in the sweep as well as both Browns. It concluded that neither Michael Brown nor Raymond Brown, who are related, was carrying a gun or marshal badge.
Raymond Brown has denied any wrongdoing and said he stayed in the car during the raids. He has said he went along to make sure the marshals got the right houses. He did not sign any capiases or participate in any arrests, the investigation found.
Michael Brown accompanied Barbieri on 13 cases and eventually signed vouchers to get paid $240 for each capias served. On 12 of the vouchers, Michael Brown signed as an "indifferent person" and on one voucher he signed as a state marshal.
Both Browns may have been wearing jackets with "State Marshals" written on them on the front and back, the commission's investigative report indicates.
Some of the marshals who participated said they saw Michael Brown in the holding area at the police station removing handcuffs from at least one of the suspected deadbeat dads, according to the report.
In his defense Michael Brown said he was accompanying Barbieri as an "administrative assistant" and at no time did anything illegal. Michael Brown did say he removed handcuffs from one man.
"I was at no time trying to identify myself as a state marshal," Michael Brown told investigators. "The purpose of my being with Marshal Barbieri is that I am very familiar with the people and the streets of Waterbury and therefore I can assist in making positive identifications."
Barbieri acknowledged that Michael Brown accompanied him to the door when he served the capiases. Barbieri, citing state statutes, said that Michael Brown was acting as his administrative assistant and also as an "indifferent person" and therefore was eligible to assist him.
Under state statutes an indifferent person can serve some legal papers, such as eviction notices.
But both the state attorney general's office and the judicial department, which authorizes payment for serving the civil processes in child support enforcement proceedings, have determined an indifferent person cannot serve capiases.
Since 2004, Michael Brown has been paid to serve legal papers on 134 suspected deadbeat dads, according to judicial branch records.
There are 24 more requests for payment that judicial officials have notified Brown will not be paid. Overall the state has paid him $25,720 since 2004, records show.
Brown is not the only person who has submitted requests for payment for serving such warrants under the designation of an indifferent person. In the past two years, the judicial branch has paid 111 bills submitted by indifferent persons, although the majority of them - 87 bills - belonged to Brown, records show.
Judicial officials have met with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal to discuss whether the state can seek restitution from Michael Brown for the money already paid to him.
They also are discussing their legal options if one or more of the suspected deadbeat dads rounded up by Michael Brown over the past three years takes legal action against the department on grounds that they were unlawfully jailed because they were served the papers illegally.
Contact Dave Altimari at daltimari@courant.com.
Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant
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