Two ECSU police officers charged with civil rights violations

A federal grand jury has indicted two men who were working as Eastern Connecticut State University police officers, including one from Lisbon, for allegedly violating the civil rights of a man by repeatedly pepper-spraying him in an unventilated holding cell.

Martin J. Praisner Jr., 47, of Lisbon and Steven M. Craig, 43, of Glastonbury are each charged with conspiracy to violate an individual’s rights and violating an individual’s civil rights. Each of these charges carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

Craig is also charged with one count of obstruction of justice stemming from an alleged false report he filed in connection with the arrest. 

According to the indictment, Craig arrested the victim, who is identified only as B.D., for first-degree criminal trespass on Sept. 1, 2008. The victim was placed in a holding cell at the ECSU police facility that was approximately four and one-half feet wide, approximately two and one-half feet deep and approximately seven and one-half feet high, and was located in an unventilated hallway.

The indictment alleges the victim kicked the holding cell wall after he was denied his request to call an attorney. Praisner allegedly warned the victim that the officers were going to pepper spray him if he continued to damage the cell and that he was "going to sit in there pepper sprayed."

After the victim continued to kick the cell wall, Praisner allegedly sprayed the victim at least six times and ignored his pleas for water. On the last occasion, Praisner allegedly used a type of pepper spray used for crowd control that was not issued to him.

        The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Windham, and the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.