NAACP members object to leniency in Plainfield hate-crime case

More than two dozen members of a local NAACP branch rallied on the steps of Danielson Superior Court on Monday voicing their opposition to any lessening or dismissal of charges in a Plainfield hate-crime case.

As members chanted “No justice, no peace,” 22-year-old Brett White, accompanied by his lawyer, Richard Rothstein, made a brief appearance inside the School Street courthouse.

White, a former manager of the Wendy’s restaurant on Pratt Road in Plainfield, is accused of hurling racial epithets towards two Woodstock Academy basketball coaches in February when team members stopped by the eatery on their way back from an away game.

White, a Canterbury resident, was initially charged with second-degree breach of peace, but prosecutors later added charges of third-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias – a Class E felony – and a misdemeanor charge of deprivation of a person’s equal rights and privileges.

Background: Plainfield restaurant manager accused of yelling racial slurs at student athletes

Additional charges may be forthcoming

Assistant State’s Attorney Lou Luba said his office was still attempting to acquire interior restaurant video recordings of the incident as part of his office’s work in deciding whether additional charges are warranted. He did not rule out issuing subpoenas as part of the investigation.

White was given a new court date of May 18. Rothstein said he plans at some point to file an accelerated rehabilitation application on behalf of his client, but did not specify when. Several NAACP members said they thought Rothstein was set to file the application Monday.

Accelerated rehabilitation programs are designed to give first-time offenders the chance to have their criminal records wiped clean after serving a period of monitoring – up to two years – by the state Office of Adult Probation.

The decision to grant such a diversionary program is up to a judge, though prosecutors and victims have the right to object to the granting. When deciding whether to grant the program, judges take into consideration the seriousness of the alleged crimes and whether a defendant is likely to re-offend in the future.

NAACP Windham/Willimantic branch leaders, joined by Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut NAACP state conference, and the organization’s attorney, Michael Jefferson, objected to the granting of a diversionary program in White’s case.

A 'major' hate crime

“This is a major hate crime,” Esdaile said, noting he was notified of the restaurant incident by local branch members.

More: Hate crime charges added in Plainfield racial tirade case

Jefferson said Rothstein’s decision to apply for accelerated rehabilitation was a “prudent” step from a legal perspective, but one his organization planned to object to vociferously.

He accused White of directing one of “ugliest words in the English language” at Woodstock Academy coaches Donte Adams and Denzel Washington and urged prosecutors to object to any accelerated rehabilitation request.

“Obviously, this is a hate crime,” Jefferson said. “It’s egregious.”

Rodney Alexander Jr., NAACP Windham/Willimantic branch vice-president, said hate crime incidents are too infrequently charged by police and prosecutors.

“This is 2023, not 1932,” he said. “That accelerated rehabilitation is on the table is an insult.”

Branch President Leah Ralls said her organization wouldn’t accept any plea deal in the case.

NAACP president wants charges on defendant's record

“We will no longer stand in the background,” she said. “We want this on (White’s) legal record.”

In an email, State’s Attorney Anne Mahoney, whose office is prosecuting White’s case, said they are “pursuing the charges based upon the evidence available from the Plainfield Police investigation.”

“Every criminally accused person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,” she wrote.

Dante and Washington were seen entering the state’s attorney’s office after White’s court appearance.

White, who has not yet pleaded to the charges and is free on bond, told a Bulletin reporter on Monday he regretted his actions and was taking part in weekly anger management therapy.

“I messed up and I’m sorry,” he said. “I was 100% in the wrong.”

John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: NAACP at Danielson court: No plea deal in Plainfield hate crime case