NL man brought home to face attempted murder charge

New London detectives retrieved a city man who is in federal custody from a New York prison today so that he could face state charges of attempted murder.

Linwood C. Oates, 27, formerly of Crystal Avenue, was presented before Judge Susan B. Handy, who appointed Public Defender Bruce A. Sturman to represent him and continued the case to Dec. 12.

According to an arrest warrant prepared by detective Richard E. Curcuro, Oates is accused of shooting a man in the left hand and groin area when the two met at a Michael Road apartment complex to resolve a "beef" on March 31, 2007. Witnesses said Oates had fired multiple shots at the man, who later walked into Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for what were determined to be non-life-threatening injuries.

The victim, who is not named in the arrest warrant, initially refused to provide a written statement to police because he was "fearful of retaliation against himself and his family." The fight apparently involved the victim’s ex-girlfriend, with whom the victim has a child, and Oates, who had a brief relationship with the woman.

Oates is serving a 70-month federal prison sentence for illegal gun possession. The state has asked federal authorities to temporarily surrender custody of Oates to the state so that he can be housed nearby, in a state prison, while his case is pending.

New London police pulled over Oates on Feb. 27, 2007, when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Connecticut and Lincoln avenues. He consented to a search of his car, and police said they found a stolen handgun in the glove compartment. The Heckler and Koch, .45-caliber pistol had been reported stolen a year earlier in Scarborough, Me.

Oates had been convicted of attempted robbery and assault in April 1999 and was convicted of possession of narcotics in 2003.