Connecticut trooper pleads not guilty to manslaughter in deadly 2020 shooting of Mubarak Soulemane
Brian North, the Connecticut state trooper charged with manslaughter in the 2020 shooting death of Mubarak Soulemane, appeared in Milford Superior Court on Thursday morning and entered a plea of not guilty.
Thursday marked North’s second court appearance since he was charged in April with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm.
North was arraigned in May after Inspector General Robert J. Devlin Jr. released a lengthy report in which he said North used unjustified force when shooting death of Soulemane. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum of five years behind bars if convicted. He has been free after turning himself in on April 19 and posting bail of $50,000.
Soulemane was fatally shot at the end of a high-speed chase in a stolen car on Jan. 15, 2020. Video from the scene shows troopers and a West Haven police officer descend on the car after it was stopped off Exit 43 of Interstate 95 North and blocked by police cars.
A video of the shooting shows North firing into the car after the trooper allegedly saw Soulemane with a knife.
North left the courthouse flanked by fellow officers and his attorneys, an arm linked with his girlfriend. His attorneys declined to comment.
Soulemane’s family gathered on the sidewalk outside the courthouse Thursday with the Rev. Kevin McCall, who led chants of “Justice for Mubarak” and “no justice, no peace,” his fist raised high. Soulemane’s mother, Omo Klusum Mohammed, said that for her, justice means seeing North behind bars.
”I want Brian North to go to jail for killing my son, for massacring my son,” she said.
Attorney Sanford Rubenstein, one of the attorneys representing the family, said they’re hopeful a jury will find North guilty.
”We believe that after a jury or a judge is shown a video of this case, pictures of the truth, it will be clear that this was an execution,” he said.
The inspector general’s report included several videos of the shooting captured on dash cameras and body cameras worn by law enforcement officers who responded to the incident.
McCall and Soulemane’s family and their lawyers also loudly chanted “Fire Brian North” over and over outside the courthouse.
McCall said that North being free on bond and “being able to enjoy his summer” isn’t fair to Soulemane’s mother who went through a Mother’s Day and without her son, who went through a Memorial Day without her son, who will go through a summer without her son.
Mark Arons, another attorney for the family, said Thursday’s court appearance was the first step in a long court process that will hopefully lead to justice for Mubarak. He said he hopes Soulemane’s case will send a shockwave across the country and once and for all change policing culture.
North is scheduled to appear in court next for a virtual pre-hearing on Aug. 2. After that, he is scheduled to appear in Milford court in person on Sept. 15.