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     I was employed at the time by Matrix Power and Mechanical Services, 59 Davis Drive, Pascoag, Rhode Island. I had been employed with them for 3 years and have stayed in the same Ameri Suites Hotel, before, under similar conditions, where a room is supplied to two employees working opposing 12 hour shifts. I worked 6AM to 6PM and the room was mine for the other 12 hours. Roger L, who has roomed with me on many occasions, was my room mate, this time as well, for a scheduled time of December 1 through Dec12, 2003.

     I left work at 6PM on the evening of December 4, 2003 and returned to the Ameri Suites in Shelton, Connecticut, where I had a room on the 6th floor, which was located centrally, close to the elevator. The 6th floor was being used for Dormitory Housing for a near-by School and was as usual, busy with the sounds and actions of a Dormitory Type Life Style. Sounds and sights of people going from room to room with doors opening and closing and people talking and music playing spiced up the normally drab motel hallway. I had no problem with it and actually rather enjoyed it.

A short time after arriving at my room and having a shower, a few fellow workers, who also had their own rooms in the hotel, showed up to visit. I kept the door open, as people were entering and leaving and we were also visiting with some of the students who had rooms in the same area or were visiting friends who had rooms in the same area. For the earlier part of the evening I was present only part of the time as I was going to and from my car as it had broken a heater hose and I was attempting to do a temporary repair so that I could get to work the next morning.
     The guys told me, on one of my returns going to and from the car, that the Shift Manager had complained of noise so they had turned the radio down. Shortly after that all but two of the guys left, and I closed the door and shut the radio off. As we sat there visiting, there was a knock on the door. I asked who was there and the person said that it was the Night Shift Manager. She stated , speaking through the door, that she wanted me to leave because of the noise. But, there was no noise, there wasn’t even a TV set running. I told her that everyone at returned to their rooms and that I was going to bed and that we could take care of any problems in the morning. The same thing happened again, she showed up again a short while later, and she said that she was calling the police this time.

I thought that she was kidding. Why, with all the noise being created by a floor full of college students, was she bothering me ? She was making the most noise of anyone by banging on the door and carrying on. It was getting late. If she was so concerned about the noise bothering people, why was she making such an ado about something, that could be taken care of in the morning, when the Hotel Manager and the owners of the company, who I worked for, who had rented the room, could all be present.
      Still a bit later there was another banging on the door and a voice said that it was the police. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that she had called the police. For what reason.? I was irritated by the whole thing and told the Police to go find a Bank Robbery or some one selling Crack and leave me alone. The Police persisted on entering my room, and I told them to get a Warrant ! It appeared that things were not going to calm down as the Police and Night Manager’s Ego Trips were flaring. They were not going to take no for answer, even though it was a violation of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution.
I would have opened the door had they gotten a Warrant.
But how could they, what would they have told a Neutral Magistrate to secure one ? I was a teenager in the 1960’s and remembered quite well about all of the Illegal Warrantless Entries Conducted by police. I thought that they knew better , being that we now were in the year of 2003.
      I couldn’t believe it, when they started breaking in the door. But, I knew one thing. WE made sure that we were sitting in plain sight, with our hands in clear view, where the Police could see that we were making no type of physical resistance. No one wanted to get shot, and we were debating among ourselves if they were sane enough, not to shoot. Because they were mad, not angry, mad ! They were already breaking in a door for no reason.
     They broke in, forced us to the floor and handcuffed us. I watched as they kicked my friend Bill , while he was hand cuffed and laying on the floor. Yet he had offered no resistance . I turned my head as I saw feet coming towards me realizing that there was a good chance that I would be kicked too !
      I was kicked in the ribs on my right side, and I was kicked in the head, then someone actually stood on my head and then dumped what was left of an open beer or soda on my head, all after my hands were handcuffed behind my back, when I had offered no resistance and was laying floor as well.      The Police tore my room apart, not only searching all of my belongings, but all of my room mates belongings too, and he was at work ! They also took my wallet from the night stand that was next to my bed.
     Once they were done fueling there “ Ego Trip “, myself and two friends were taken to Police Cruisers, that were waiting outside of the motel. They drove to the Shelton Police Station, where we were held until being taken to court in Derby, Ct , the following day on December 5th.
      The court allowed us to post a bail bond. Up until this point we had not been allowed to make a phone call. The same continued as we were taken to the Bridgeport Correctional Facility and put through the system to the point that we were given a Tuberculosis Test, and told to take a shower and we issued Prison Clothing with our own personal clothing being taken from us, and assigned a Prison Number, but still no phone call was allowed to be made !. Fortunately a friend who was aware of my situation took care of the bond for myself and one of the other guys arrested, Bill , and shortly before midnight we both were released. The third guy, Josh Cossenbaum, involved was posted a bail bond by a friend of his , but not that evening.

My accomodation was one of many units that were rented for a work force
of approximately 50 men, working two 12 hour shifts around the clock
to perform a Scheduled Work Outage.
The company whom I was working for
had rented rooms at the Ameri Suite Hotel in the past to accomodate
the work force necessary to perform a work outage similar to the one that
we were involved in on this occasion.
The Ameri Suite Hotel was quite familiar with the company's schedule of operation.

My room mate and I have stayed together on many occasions.
We are both very neat and always keep our areas in top shape.
Office Debraum stated in his report that when
he and the other police entered room 608, my chamber,
that it was in shambles.
He is absolutely correct that it was in shambles that evening,
he simply neglects to point out that it was he and the other Police Officers
that put it into shambles after they finished destroying the door.
I have witnesses to testify to my neatness and the condition of the room
that evening prior to the Illegal Warrantless Search and Arrest.

This will be continued soon. Last UpDate May 5, 2004.

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Link to Officer Bangos Report

Link to Officer Debraums Report