Why Did the DA Deep-6 the Nappier Ticket?

The events surrounding state Treasurer Denise Napper a week ago in the North End of Hartford is beginning to look like one of those shop worn episodes of "48 Hours Mysteries."  You have it all, a murky incident with many possibilities, few leads and lots of confusion and conflicting testimony.

But this much is very clear. Both Nappier and Gail P. Hardy, the Hartford State's Attorney, have behaved in a manner that would cause reasonable people to question their judgment. They both look like people who have something to hide.

Let's wind this sucker back and see how totally absurd Nappier has behaved throughout this incident. First,  she didn't make any effort to offer any public comment on the incident before Hartford Courant reporter John Lender tracked her down for comment this week.

First lesson in political damage control - always break your own news. If there the entire matter was simply confusion over paperwork, then Nappier could have put out a benign press release outlining what happened, apologized for not having the up-to-date registration handy, and thank the police officers for doing their jobs.

But she didn't do that, nor did she take the officers up on their offer to give her a ride or call for a ride for her. Claiming the cell phone went dead is an excuse reserved for teenagers who have blown curfew. Instead, Nappier decided to hoof it. A map quest search shows her 3-4 mile journey to be a zig zag route across town, including a stroll near Keaney Park, not exactly the safest stroll for a woman flying solo.

One would think that Nappier would have wanted witnesses to back her claim up that the police stop and summons was an innocent misunderstanding. To that end, calling someone to come and pick her up would have given her a witness to that claim. She chose not to, further adding to the head scratching.

Let's get to the juicy part. When confronted via telephone by Lender, Nappier went right for the nuclear option when explaining why she would be stopped outside a housing project in a area where idling cars are often viewed with suspicion by law enforcement.

"I'm a black woman driving a black car in a black neighborhood," said she, implying that someone of color driving in a neighborhood that is 90 percent minority would be seen as a candidate for racial. Nappier slapped the race card down with impunity but then offered to pick it up once the matter had been resolved by the prosecutor's office.

Which gets us to real nub of this incident - how and why did the chief prosecutor in Hartford County become aware of this matter and decide to fish it out of the pile? At what point did Gaily Hardy say to herself, "self, I wonder how the Hartford Police Department has been doing with issuing summonses for unregistered vehicles?"

What the Courant Editorial board and everyone else on the political scene seems to be missing is this - someone had to have called the prosecutor to make this summons go away. When word got out about the incident and Lender got on the scent, Nappier went to the tried and true method of calling the cops potential cross burners to shield herself from legitimate questions. This is what is known as the "high hard one," in politics - where you knock your opponent down and hope they don't get up.

Union officials for the Hartford Police Department rightly point out the area has sadly been known as a high crime area, particularly for the sale and use of illegal drugs.

Who spoke to Hardy or someone reporting to Hardy? Did Hardy or someone else speak with the police officers in question? Did the officers call in to speak with a supervisor?

Denise Nappier is entitle to go where she pleases, but when she raises the issue of race - that's a serious charge that she either has to back up or allow someone other than the Hartford Police Department to look into.

Only a complete, independent investigation can sort this out but don't hold your breadth. In the meantime, stay by the scanner - you never know what you might hear.