New Haven mayor ordered by court to not speak publicly on wrongful conviction case
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker was ordered by a federal judge not to speak publicly about a wrongful-conviction case against the city, following comments he made to the press.
The case centers around a 1990 double murder involving police misconduct and one of the two men who were convicted. Stefon Morant spent 21 years in prison until he was released in 2015 and then exonerated.
The other man, who was convicted, received a $9 million settlement from the city, while Morant did not, so he’s suing the New Haven police department.
In an NBC Connecticut interview on April 30, we asked Elicker why a settlement was reached with Lewis and not Morant.
“We evaluate each case and the merits of each case,” he said. “I can’t legally talk about the specifics of the case because there’s an ongoing trial.”
Elicker told the New Haven Register on Tuesday that the payout Morant wanted was “well beyond what is reasonable” and that his demands were “so far beyond what any other case has settled for.” He also said the city “has been forced into a position where we can’t settle.”
No cameras were allowed inside Hartford federal court on Wednesday, but Morant’s attorneys said discussions about settlements were confidential and that these comments could impact the trial.
One attorney said calling Morant’s demands “so far beyond what any other case has settled for” a lie.
Before the court, Elicker was asked about being called to court.
“It appears that in this case, the judge feels that I crossed the line, and I’m of course going to go and follow the judge’s order and hear the judge out and follow the directive that the judge gives me,” he said. “I want to be really sensitive to the fact that there’s an ongoing trial. At the same time, I work really hard to be transparent in front of the press.”
Elicker told the judge the comments he made to the New Haven Register were accurate, saying he was speaking generally and that he did not intend for his words to impact the trial.
The judge ordered him and members of his administration not to speak publicly about the case moving forward.
The judge told Elicker directly, “I hope you take this experience seriously.”
The trial continues on Thursday.
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