Connecticut Law Tribune
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Copyright 2009, ALM Properties, Inc.
Public Defender Cleared Of Charges
Arrestfollowed an unusual encounter with ICE agents
By DOUGLAS S. MALAN
Supervisory Public Defender Elisa Villa was cleared of all charges Wednesday morning stemming from her arrest after an unusual confrontation in a Bristol courthouse earlier this year.
In a brief court proceeding, Waterbury Superior Court Judge Frank A. Iannotti granted a motion by Villa’s attorney to dismiss all charges. Those charges included breach of peace, interfering with a peace officer and hindering a prosecution by a peace officer.
“It’s a successful resolution to the case,” said Edward J. Gavin, who represented Villa. The state’s attorney’s office “saw the legal issues and the claims and acted with all reason.”
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Paul Murray, who prosecuted the case for the state, declined comment.
Villa was arrested this spring after a confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who attempted to take Anselmo Antonio-Valerian into custody during a court appearance on a minor traffic violation.
Judicial marshals at the courthouse claimed that Villa was interfering with ICE agents by keeping Antonio-Valerian in the public defender’s office. State police were called and when ICE agents got access to Antonio-Valerian in the hallway, the police claimed that Villa, who is about 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds, pushed one of the officers.
David Peck, who represented Antonio-Valerian, said he never saw Villa push anyone.
Gavin continues to deny the shoving incident happened and said the breach of peace charge was dismissed for lack of evidence.
Gavin noted the other charges were dropped because, by statute, ICE agents are not considered peace officers, and therefore the charges did not apply.•
Filed under: Immigrant rights
