Pubdate: Tue, 05 Dec 2006 Source: Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT) Copyright: 2006sMediaNews Group, Inc Contact: http://www.connpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/574 Author: Dirk Perrefort 5 COPS HAVE 5 DAYS TO FIGHT SUSPENSIONS MILFORD -- Five police officers given suspensions for their handling of a prisoner who later died in custody have up to five days to decide if they want to file a grievance, a union representative said Monday. Sgt. Jeff Matchett, president of the Milford Police Union Local 899, said the officers have five business days from receiving the suspension notice to decide if they want to fight the move. Police Chief Keith Mello announced the one-day, unpaid suspensions last Friday while releasing a report of the department's internal investigation into the death of Nicholas Brown, 24, of Stratford. "I will meet with the suspended officers in the near future and it will be their choice if they want to pursue a grievance," Matchett said. "The union will defend each and every member that does wish to pursue a grievance. My own personal opinion is that the discipline was excessive." The five officers were each suspended for policy violations discovered during the internal investigation into Brown's death, including a sergeant who failed to call paramedics when he first learned that the prisoner was hallucinating. The suspended officers include Sgt. Kenneth Walewski, Officer Jeffrey Cortes, Officer John Kranyak, Lt. Victor Daniels and Lt. Joseph Pietrafesa. Brown died on Oct. 19 from "cocaine toxicity," about five hours after being shot three times with a stun gun in the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn on Rowe Avenue. At the time of his arrest, he told police officers he had swallowed "roaches," a term used for partially smoked marijuana cigarettes. Officials with the Chief State Medical Examiner's Office later determined Brown's death was the result of a cocaine overdose. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine