Responses of state agencies left much to be desired. Backlog of cases contributed to horrific events.
When Selami Ozdemir was arrested on charges of beating and kicking his wife for the first time, he was ordered into a family violence education program. Four months later, when he was arrested a second time for a similar offense, Ozdemir posted bail, returned to his West Haven, Connecticut, home and killed his wife, and then himself. His first domestic violence class was still three weeks away.
Due to a backlog in the program for first-time domestic violence offenders, defendants such as Ozdemir can have their court-ordered counseling delayed indefinitely.
A report on the case released May 24, 2010, included several recommendations for changes, including increasing the number of slots in the family violence education program to shorten the waiting period and get more defendants into the supervised program while their cases are pending.
There is, however, a catch in these financially-strapped times. “Some recommendations might cost money,” said Ansonia-Milford State’s Attorney Kevin D. Lawlor, “But they might also reduce the likelihood of domestic violence defendants offending repeatedly.” He added, “Justice shouldn’t come with a price tag.”
The report issued by the Ansonia-Milford state’s attorney’s office following a five-month investigation detailed a host of problems in the case. Ozdemir, 41, and his wife, Shengyl Rasim, 25, had two children, and his first arrest, in September 2009, included allegations that he knocked his wife against the crib where their 3-month-old slept. But none of the agencies involved alerted the Department of Children and Families after his first arrest; each appears to have assumed that someone else had, the report said. It recommended formalizing the procedures for notifying DCF in domestic violence cases that involve potential child endangerment.
After his second arrest, on January 16, 2010, Ozdemir allegedly managed to get out of custody without putting up any money for his $25,000 bond or signing a contract or payment plan – allegations that the state Insurance Department is investigating. The report suggested reforms to the bail bond industry designed to keep agents from allowing people to “get out of jail free.”
The report also described the failure of 911 operators to relay key information to police who were at the family’s home minutes prior to the murder-suicide.
Alexandra Reed writes for Connecticut personal injury law firm, Stratton Faxon. Contact Stratton Faxon to speak with a Connecticut accident lawyer about your personal injury, wrongful death, or Connecticut malpractice case. To learn more, visit Strattonfaxon.com.
