A jury Tuesday will begin deliberating whether to believe a Derby man’s contentions that local Democrats engaged in a racially motivated conspiracy to torpedo his 2009 mayoral run.
Both sides rested Monday on the fourth day of a trial in a federal lawsuit filed in Jan. 2010 by Mel Thompson against Democratic leaders including Anita Dugatto, the city’s current mayor.
Thompson’s case revolves around two incidents that took place in 2009 during Derby Democratic gatherings. The first is a Democratic Town Committee meeting where Thompson was told to shut up and sit down, and a second incident in which he argued with town committee member Christine Robinson.
Thompson’s lawsuit claims the incidents are evidence of a conspiracy to derail his mayoral run, a claim Democrats deny.
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Former DTC Member Testifies
Shelli Sheridan, a former secretary of the Derby Democratic Town Comittee, testified in front of the eight-person jury Monday.
Answering questions from Thompson’s lawyer, Gregory Arcaro, Sheridan said she had been at a meeting where Thompson had tried to address his fellow Democratic Town Committee members.
Arcaro asked Sheridan if one of the other DTC members tried to “silence” Thompson.
“Yeah,” Sheridan said, though she said she couldn’t remember the specifics because the meeting took place at least six years ago.
“I can’t pinpoint it word for word,” Sheridan said. “They never wanted to hear from (Thompson).”
Sheridan also said that Democrats had also asked her not to share minutes of their meetings with Thompson, though she couldn’t remember who, specifically, had made the request.
“I said I can’t do that because to me they’re public record,” Sheridan said. “It wasn’t like we were trying to hide anything … but I was asked not to and I said ‘No, I couldn’t do that.’”
During cross-examination, the Democrats’ lawyer, Elio Morgan, asked Sheridan whether she had ever heard other Democrats discussing race as a factor in their decision-making.
Sheridan said no.
And though she was present at an April 2009 event at which Thompson says DTC member Christine Robinson called him the n‑word during an argument, Sheridan said she didn’t hear any racial epithets during the brouhaha.
Sheridan is the fourth person to say under oath they did not hear Robinson use the slur.
The Democrats had gathered at Dugatto’s business to hear the results of a referendum.
Robinson testified Thursday that she said “excuse me” while attempting to pass Thompson to get into the building, at which point Thompson cursed at her and called her a name — twice.
The argument continued inside the building.
Thompson’s lawsuit says Robinson threatened to kill him and that she assaulted him during the April 2009 argument.
Robinson denied that, and said she left the building to call her husband.
Sheridan testified Monday that she was inside Dugatto’s office celebrating the result of the referendum when she heard yelling.
“It was Mel Thompson and a couple other people,” Sheridan said. “I saw Christine yelling. I was like ‘Oh my God.’”
Sheridan said that Robinson had to be restrained from Thompson, though she couldn’t remember by whom, or other exact specifics.
“They were very angry at each other,” she said.
Under cross-examination, Morgan asked if the altercation between Thompson and Robinson ever became physical.
“Actual touching, no,” Sheridan said.
No witnesses so far in the case have said Robinson attacked Thompson.
‘The Jury Might Believe Him’
Thompson is seeking $80 million in damages from Dugatto and four members of the town committee.
During testimony Thursday, Dugatto said she had paid Thompson and resigned her chairmanship of the DTC so he would stop attacking her and her business on a blog he had once written.
Thompson’s lawsuit accuses the Democrats of discriminating against him because he is black, but Democrats who have testified in the case said Thompson was welcomed into the committee in 2009 and was treated the same as other members.
Once Sheridan left the stand Monday inside U.S. District Court in Hartford, Judge Michael Shea dismissed part of the case against the Democrats.
But the rest of the case will go to a jury Tuesday.
While the judge noted Thompson’s case “might not be the strongest claim in the world,” he told Morgan later, “the jury might believe him.”
After testimony ended Judge Shea scheduled closing arguments for Tuesday morning, after which he’ll give the jury final instructions.
