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DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Begley v. State, 234 Conn. App. 820 (2025)

Citation
Begley v. State, 234 Conn. App. 820 (2025)
Parent Document
Begley v. State, 234 Conn. App. 820 (2025)
Jurisdiction
Connecticut (state)
Effective Date
2025-09-02

Other Sections in This Document (38)

Full Text

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no evidence that it was the defendant, versus the other
       deputy chiefs or any of Citta’s other supervisors or
       command staff, who directed him to stop sharing infor-
       mation with the intelligence center.15 The plaintiff’s
       assertion that it was the defendant who gave the order
       to stop cooperating with the intelligence center is based
       merely on speculation, which is insufficient to create
       an issue of fact to defeat summary judgment.16
          Even if the plaintiff had demonstrated that a genuine
       issue of material fact exists as to whether the defendant
       ordered the crime center unit to stop cooperating with
       the intelligence center, that fact is immaterial to the
       plaintiff’s burden to prove retaliatory animus by the
       defendant toward the plaintiff. The plaintiff has failed
       to identify any evidence that the alleged retaliatory ani-
       mus that may be inferred by the lack of cooperation
       with the intelligence center following Citta’s removal
       was targeted at the plaintiff versus the intelligence cen-
       ter. This is particularly evident in light of the undisputed
       facts that the plaintiff filed the report at the direction
       of Corey and Darcy and that the plaintiff had no role
       in the decision to transfer Citta back to the Hartford
       police.17
       orders from [the defendant] not to cooperate with [the intelligence center]
       until he received a written apology or command staff changed.’’ He then
       cites to a memo sent to him by Benoit regarding a conversation that Benoit
       had with Citta. The plaintiff’s citation to the trial court record is ‘‘Pl. Ex.
       16.’’ That memo is not plaintiff’s exhibit 16. Our review of the record reveals
       that that memo was not submitted to the trial court. Moreover, we have
       reviewed that memo, which the plaintiff improperly included in the appendix
       to his principal appellate brief, and it makes no mention of the defendant.
          15
             Indeed, Citta also indicated that it was his decision that he, himself,
       would not share information with the intelligence center and that he could
       not make that decision for his unit.
          16
             The plaintiff also argues that ‘‘[a] reasonable fact finder could infer
       retaliatory intent from the subsequent threats and warnings that were given
       to [him] not to pursue his claims and grievances.’’ The plaintiff has failed
       to provide any evidence that these alleged threats and warnings came from
       or were directed by the defendant.
          17
             The plaintiff also argues that the defendant demonstrated retaliatory
       animus when he refused to replace Citta after he was transferred back to
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