Five jurors have been selected so far in the state Superior Court trial of cable television talk show host and one-time Danbury mayoral candidate John McGowan, who is accused of sexually assaulting his then-girlfriend in New Milford nearly three years ago.
Three men and two women were accepted by both Senior Assistant State's Attoney David Shannon, the prosecutor, and by McGowan, who is serving as his own attorney, before the lunch recess Wednesday.
Three more jurors, one regular member and two alternates, must be chosen before testimony begins next week.
[...]
The 44-year-old defendant, who currently lives in Bethel where he runs an oil business, is accused of forcing the victim to have anal sex with him at a home he was building in New Milford in October 2008. McGowman contends the sex was consensual.
[...]
The defendant, who tried unsuccessfully to get the case dismissed using a variety of anti-government theories, got off to a rocky start in questioning the first few potential jurors, requiring the judge's assistance in properly framing his questions.
He also drew several rebukes from Ginocchio for seeking the advice of supporters in the gallery as to whether he should accept or reject some potential jurors.
"You can't communicate with anyone in the courtroom," Ginocchio said, noting he was trying to eliminate any jurors whose answers indicated they wouldn't be impartial.
For those who don't know, McGowan was the 2007 former mayoral candidate and infamous anti-immigrant whack-job who was the co-founder/former Vice President of the United States Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement hate-group, former treasurer of Paul Streitz's anti-immigration/hate group Connecticut Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement, and prominent figure in the xenophobic movement in the greater Danbury area.
...and after almost of two years of waiting, McGowan's rape trial is set to begin NEXT WEEK and should take only FIVE DAYS!
NOTE: I haven't been able to attend McGowan's last two court appearances but I plan to be there every day providing live updates of the trial once opening statements are underway.
UPDATE: Opening statements are set for NEXT WED at 9:30 AM
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
