Criminal charges weighed in Newtown deaths (sandy hook massacre)

ctpost.com ^ | 1/24 | ken dixon

[RummyChick]

HARTFORD -- The prosecutor investigating the Newtown school massacre told a new panel Thursday not to expect a final report on the Dec. 14 slaughter anytime soon.

Danbury State's Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky III announced that while no criminal prosecution seems likely to emerge from the mass murder and suicide, he wants to suppress much of the evidence from the public anyway.

"This is an ongoing criminal investigation, for which I have obtained extensions of time from the Superior Court to keep documents sealed, so that the investigation may continue unencumbered by distractions," Sedensky said.

"The rules of professional responsibility for prosecutors require that I take steps to prevent publicity that would have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing a potential prosecution," he said.

In a brief appearance before Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's 16-member Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, Sedensky said that he expects the State Police report on the shootings to be several months away.

"Of course, if the investigation reveals that there should be a criminal prosecution, then that prosecution would take precedence over any report," Sedensky told the panel of municipal officials, mental health experts, security professionals and social-service providers.

"Though no such prosecution currently appears on the horizon, I am sure you can appreciate that all leads need to be investigated and evidence examined before final decisions and statements are made," he said.

He offered to meet privately with a representative of the advisory panel to provide information that he might not release to the public.

Sedensky said that during the first week after the shootings, federal, state and local police worked around the clock investigating the crime scenes at Sandy Hook Elementary School, at the 36 Yogananda St. home of Nancy Lanza, whose son Adam, 20, murdered her before driving her car to the school, and elsewhere.

It will be months before a report is released.

"We are hoping for some time this summer, perhaps in June," said Sedensky, a Newtown resident, adding that details on the mental health of Adam Lanza, are protected from disclosure under privacy regulations and might not be able to be provided to the commission.

Bill Ritter, the former governor of Colorado whose district attorney of Denver investigated the aftermath of the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, told the panel the nation is watching.

"You could wind up saving lives at some point in the future," said Ritter, who later became governor and became a target for a deranged gunman who was shot and killed by a state trooper outside his office. "Healing can happen" but it can be a long-term process.

Richard Bonnie, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law who was an adviser to the Virginia Tech Review Panel following that 2007 shooting, warned that legislation and regulatory changes can be affected by emotions.

"Tragedy can compromise thoughtful policy making," he said from Virginia.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, in the panel's first meeting Thursday morning, said that the consequence that seems to be separating Newtown from other mass shootings is that momentum for a positive outcome to the crime seems to be gaining every day, not fading.

"We must take a serious look at public safety, particularly school safety, so our children can grow up and go to school without the fear of violence in a culture that does in fact glorify violence," Malloy said.

"We need to have a discussion about stopping that," Malloy said. "The recommendations you will craft over the coming weeks and months will no doubt take us toward that goal: better mental health, better safety in our schools and a system that is set up to stop the glorification of the violence."

Later in the afternoon, after Sedensky's testimony, Malloy, a former prosecutor, was asked by reporters about the reticence to release more details of the shooting.

"I think there's always this situation where a prosecutor is trying to make the right balance," Malloy said.

"This was an attack so outrageous, in the killing of 20 six-year-olds that in many ways it's going to have an imprint, the likes of which I can remember where I was, in the classroom, when someone came in to say President Kennedy was shot," Malloy said. "I think this is that kind of event. So I think he needs to take the time necessary to conclude the investigation. Having said that, I would hope that as little time is necessary. It's more important to get it right than to rush out a report."

On Friday morning, a legislative subcommittee looking into issues of school security after the Sandy Hook shootings will hold a public hearing starting at 9:30 a.m. in Room 2-C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

[Uncle Chip]

I made this brief list of links that answer the most asked questions regarding Sandy Hook. I just got tired of going back and pulling these up and wanted them all in one place. Please add whatever I missed:

Interview with one of two mothers who witnessed the kids running down to the firehouse, the Lanza’s Honda doors opened [indication that it had already been searched], the broken glass at the front door, the unusual quiet just before gunshots rang out from inside the school, and the kids subsequently evacuating the building:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptbd6qRY358

Video at 0:24 of the broken glass front door:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/us/connecticut-shooting-adam-lanza-barber/index.html

Police dispatch report along with video of the broken glass front window at 0:50 on the video:

http://www.frequency.com/video/broken-glass-at-front-of-sandy-hook/72154872/-/5-85140

Police Dispatch of the Sandy Hook shooting:

http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/12/14/news/doc50cc0897adc1a203744261.txt?viewmode=2

STATE POLICE IDENTIFY WEAPONS USED IN SANDY HOOK

http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?Q=517284&A=4226

Details of shooting at Wikipedia with other resources and links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting

State Police: All 26 Newtown victims shot with assault rifle

http://www.ctpost.com/newtownshooting/article/State-Police-All-26-Newtown-victims-shot-with-4220548.php

[MarMema]

You're doing such a good job here.

Have you seen this?

very strange

[bluecat6]

Video at 0:24 of the broken glass front door:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/us/connecticut-shooting-adam-lanza-barber/index.html

There it is.

But it conflicts with this photo:

http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/sandy-hook-running.jpg

None of the panes of glass in the photos are shattered. They all are still perfectly intact as can be seen by the relections that are evident.

The shoot up pane is shattered all the way to the top of the frame.

Yet another strange mis-match.

[Resettozero]

Something I noticed again: What are these four people fleeing? The man in the background with his hands on his hips? The situation was over. Did they witness the horror of the murder scenes and just have to hold hands and run? Some SH pics, and this is one, seem staged.

http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/sandy-hook-running.jpg

[Uncle Chip]

Yet another strange mis-match.

Thanks for posting that.

That broken window pane is not in the picture you posted. It cannot be seen from that perspective -- it's further to the left.

It just points out to people here how you can look at a picture and not see what you are looking at and claim otherwise.

You must think everybody here is so stupid that they can't also figure that out???

[MD Expat in PA]

Anyone from Sandy Hook want to tell us the identity of this guy

As Hillary might say, “What difference does it make?” LOL!

But seriously, perhaps the guy was trying to sign “I Love You” in American Sign Language. Although this site points out the difference but that’s not to say he was just doing it wrong.

I LOVE YOU Sign Language Sign

Here is the right way:

BTW – the site that the image of Sarah Palin came from claims it is a Satanic symbol. Yea, Sarah Palin; a well known Satanist. /s

Or the guy might be into Heavy Metal, a Metal Head - yea, I know, you might say that he’s too old but consider that the Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne are probably all older than that guy. Ronnie James Dio, who died in 2010 is often credited with inventing or popularizing the Metal Horns sign. It would seem he had more than a few fans here, and yes there are some Metal Heads on Free Republic.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2514760/posts

Or perhaps he’s a Texas Longhorns fan like these folks:

Yes, that’s Dan Quayle, another well known Satanist. Perhaps he belongs to the same coven as Sarah Palin. /s

You’ve really got to be desperately grasping at straws to read something into that picture or for that matter the picture of the 3 year old Parker kid sucking on her fingers and saying the “Devil Horns” prove some sort of conspiracy.

[RummyChick]

What difference does it make?????

There are known Satanists in the area. The shooter is reported to be a Satanist.

There is a wide spread Priest child molester ring in the area.

And creepy devil dude is creepy.

[Uncle Chip]

What are these four people fleeing?

They are not fleeing per se. They are trying to catch up to the rest of the class who are in front of them. This is the third picture in sequence that have been posted all over the internet. The first two show a line of kids being escorted by the police through the parking lot and these are probably the teacher and teachers aide and her daughter running to catch up to them.

Occam's Razor --

[RummyChick]

As for Adam’s death date ..that does come from Social Security not the sites hosting the info.

So either he died on the 13th or someone has input the info incorrectly at Social Security.

[Resettozero]

Occam's Razor --

Yes, I've seen the "sequential" pictures since they were first shown. Have always thought they look...planned. Hence, my FR post of my opinion.

[Resettozero]

Occam's Razor --

Yes, I've seen the "sequential" pictures since they were first shown. Have always thought they look...planned. Hence, my FR post of my opinion.

[Uncle Chip]

So either he died on the 13th or someone has input the info incorrectly at Social Security.

Now, of those two, what do you figure is the most likely explanation???

[RummyChick]

There is no most likely in this scenario.

It is entirely possible that he died and was made a patsy.

His mother had been out of town. she knows her son is mentally messed up. she is going to leave him for days with loaded guns?????

There are reports that his girlfriend is missing. WHAT GIRLFRIEND? Who saw Adam Lanza during this time. In fact, who has seen Adam Lanza for awhile. He quit going to the barber. This guy might have already been locked up.

We don’t know. State’s Attorney will not reveal the info.

Who has reported seeing Adam Lanza recently???

There are reports that he traveled the day before to Hoboken NJ and killed someone in another town.

Where did these reports come from???

[FreedomPoster]

FWVLIW, I am two degrees of separation from an EMT first responder that spent considerable time on scene. The person in the middle is related to the EMT, and I’ve known my source for more than a decade. I consider him completely reliable, a solid individual. He knows firearms, and says his relative knows firearms.

All that said, the relative confirmed there was 5.56 brass all over the scene. I had my friend ask about this specifically very early on, as the conspiracy theorists started very early on.

Again, this is FWVLIW, as it won’t matter to all the conspiracy theorists here you’re trying to educate. All I know is that this issue was settled for me very early on.

I wish the conspiracy theorists would spend their energy pushing back against the gun grabbers.

[RummyChick]

Interesting comment from family member

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/15/us/connecticut-lanza-family-profile/index.html

“”He was definitely the challenge of the family in that house. Every family has one,” she told CNN affiliate WLS. “They have one. I have one. But never in trouble with the law, never in trouble with anything.””

As opposed to the narrative from law enforcement that Adam has been in trouble with the law but can’t be revealed because the juvenile records are sealed.

[Ditter]

I don’t know WHO he is but I know WHAT he is. He is a graduate of University of Texas and he is giving the Hook ‘em Horns sign. If he had his thumb up he would be a Texas Aggie. :)

[Resettozero]

Again, this is FWVLIW, as it won’t matter to all the conspiracy theorists here you’re trying to educate.

No poster owns the subject of SH on FR. The voraciousness of the verbal (written) attacks against SH narrative questioners and their designation as "conspiracy theorists" BY CERTAIN POSTERS, has set off alarms with the FReepers who still have doubts about the events and do not appreciate the efforts "to educate us" or, more precisely, indoctrinate us in the manner shown so far.

[RummyChick]

556 is not the same as 223

[Uncle Chip]

All that said, the relative confirmed there was 5.56 brass all over the scene.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[RummyChick]

So what casings did Vance say were on the scene.

You aren’t suppose to use 556 in a 223 because of excessive pressure . Higher pressure than the chamber is designed for and can cause the primers to back out. Can cause the bullet to jam.

Don’t know if true or what this means . Just found it in the internet.