Rally For Arrested Girl Postponed

STRATFORD, Conn. -- Stratford officials put a rally on hold Thursday, citing public safety concerns as the reason for the delay.

Mayor James Miron said he and other city officials decided to postpone a planned rally in support of Titasheen Mitchell because of issues such as parking and crowd management. As Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Leon Collins reported, Mitchell's March arrest has been scrutinized amid accusations that Stratford police officers allegedly assaulted and arrested her.The findings in the Mitchell case by the Stratford Police Department's internal affairs unit indicated that there was not enough evidence that Officer David Gugliotti crossed the line when he arrested Mitchell.
"The allegations and the two internal affairs investigations -- one by Mr. O'Neal and one by the mother of one of the two young ladies arrested -- could not be substantiated," Miron said.

Councilman Alvin O'Neal said he has heard from people of all colors who have complained that racial tensions and problems persist after the alleged incident.

"The complaints that we have gotten from people as it relates to police brutality and racism are not just coming from the second district, it's come from town-wide. There are people in the north end of town that have called me," O'Neal said.

Collins said O'Neal, Mitchell and her mother and the NAACP had planned a rally for Saturday at Town Hall to raise awareness about the case.

However, citing concerns about crowds that could be as large as 400, the mayor and the rally organizers have postponed that event until the following Saturday.

The mayor said city officials and rally organizers disagree on what happened in March but added that they all agree on postponing the rally.

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