“Connecticut police say they arrested a man at a management company after he mentioned the shooting rampage across the state that killed nine people and said he understood the killer’s mindset,” ksnt.com reports. “Fifty-eight-year-old Francis Laskowski of Derby was charged with breach of peace Wednesday after making the comments while working at Fusco Management Co. in New Haven.” C’mon? Seriously? I know the case has a racial element, but we do have something called the First Amendment. Even if Laskowki made a specific threat against a class of people, or said something stupid like “I would have done it too,” that’s not “breach of peace” is it? It is. Here’s the actual law:

Sec. 53a-181. Breach of the peace in the second degree: Class B misdemeanor. (a) A person is guilty of breach of the peace in the second degree when, with intent to cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, such person: (1) Engages in fighting or in violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior in a public place; or (2) assaults or strikes another; or (3) threatens to commit any crime against another person or such other person’s property; or (4) publicly exhibits, distributes, posts up or advertises any offensive, indecent or abusive matter concerning any person; or (5) in a public place, uses abusive or obscene language or makes an obscene gesture; or (6) creates a public and hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which such person is not licensed or privileged to do. For purposes of this section, “public place” means any area that is used or held out for use by the public whether owned or operated by public or private interests.

Wow. So you can be arrested for annoying someone by making threats against their property? I’d like to hear under which part of this law Mr. Laskowski has been charged.

“Laskowski told The Associated Press on Friday that his comments were blown out of proportion. He says his arrest was ‘ridiculous’ and he didn’t make any threats. Laskowski posted bail and is due in New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday.”

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3 COMMENTS

  2. http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/08/05/blo…

    Maybe I commented too soon. The New Haven Register carried a non-AP report of the event, but some of the comments imply a lot more than what was reported:

    Lets stick to the facts – " I know Francis. Quiet individual but likes to shoot his mouth off from time-to-time. Also an AVID hunter (get my drift). Only guy I know who drives his blue truck with deer horns mounted on it. I think you really need to know the person before all you loud mouths start foaming from the mouth about the Obama administration and racist acts, etc. Anyone can be considered unstable, and their's a reason why police were called, get it! "

    Heres The Truth – " Let it be known that this man made comments like ''the shooter had good reason to do what he did'' and also ''I can understand why he did what he did'' not to mention ''they all deserved what happened to them''. This man was in a very similar situation at his work place and was going for a meeting that day to be reprimanded for his lack of performance at his workplace. he also made a small list of his immediate supervisors that if he were in the shooters position would ''take out''…. You cant say things like that!!! FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A WONDERFUL RIGHT BUT DOES NOT MEAN U CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! "

    Morons – " This situation has been blown WAY out of proportion. I know Fran very well and on a personal level and know for a fact he said NOTHING on a threatening level. It's a coincidence that the manchester events happened prior to him having to attend a similar meeting that the manchester event took place at. if people are going to have the cops called on them for speaking about current events, then there are a million other people in fran's position that should be arrested with him including me. this is completely ridiculous and to hold the fact that he is an avid hunter against him is discriminating. he isnt the only hunter or holder of a pistol permit in the company – why not go after those people as well. this man did nothing to deserve what happened to him and the people who put him in this position will get theirs – karma's a b*tch. "

    And some of the comments simply add fuel to the fire:

    Big Cheese – [in response to] " White people have been hanging, murdering, torturing, burning, beating, and shooting innocent blacks for generations based on race and nothing more."

    They couldn't do it nowadays…the pregnant teens are much to fat and the tree limbs would break. South Africa has the highest murder/crime/rape rate in the world, since apartheid ended. I see a pattern here. Ever notice anywhere in the world where there are many black people living in an area, they are always waiting for whitey to feed them? Haiti, Africa, New Orleans, Detroit, New Haven…you get the picture…I wouldn't be proud to be part of that race.

  3. Let me see I fear a guy is not too tightly wrapped, and could be a ticking time bomb. The right thing to do in a such a situation is prod the guy in the ass. May he will pipe down.

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