Crime & Safety

NAACP Will Press Case Against New London Police Officer

Organization says it is continuing to meet with the U.S. Attorney's Office to seek criminal charges against Roger Newton

Representatives with a local chapter of the NAACP say they will continue to press for a criminal case against a New London police officer accused of planting drugs.

At a press conference held Wednesday afternoon, NAACP officials said they were dissatisfied that the U.S. Attorney’s Office chose not to consider prosecuting Roger Newton, a former member of the New London Police Department. Tamara K. Lanier, criminal justice chair with the Connecticut NAACP, said the organization is continuing discussions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“I’m optimistic that when we talk about these things and take another look, they’ll see the concerns we have,” she said.

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New London resident Lance Goode accused Newton of planting a plastic bag containing pills at an Oct. 20, 2010 traffic stop. Goode also acquired a cruiser cam video of the stop which he said appears to show Newton placing the drugs at the scene. Newton later resigned from the NLPD.

Lanier previously said that the decision of criminal justice officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office was based in part on their concerns with Goode’s credibility. Goode has been convicted of felony narcotics possession four times between 2007 and 2011.

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Goode said Wednesday that he did not think his criminal record should influence the U.S. Attorney’s decision.

“In all fairness, me being a convicted felon has nothing to do with that video,” he said.

Goode has sued the city and a number of NLPD officers, including Newton, in relation to the 2010 incident as well as accusations of excessive force in an earlier arrest. He said he feels he has been harassed by police and that he is employed and volunteers as a language tutor.

“How can this man purely get away with something when there’s evidence saying you did it?” said Goode.

Joe Wilson, president of the New London chapter of the NAACP, said incidents of police misconduct occur disproportionately against women and minorities. He said the organization will urge state and federal officials to take action against cases of alleged racial profiling or inappropriate actions.

“It’s a tragedy when you have a police force conducting and condoning this type of behavior,” said Wilson. “We want people to know that this is going on. We want people to file complaints.” 


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