Trooper charged with manslaughter for suspect’s death pleads ‘not guilty’
By Roger Susanin and Rob Polansky
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MILFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — A state trooper charged with manslaughter appeared in court in Milford on Thursday morning.
Trooper Brian North pleaded not guilty of unnecessarily shooting and killing a suspect following a high-speed chase along the shoreline.
A lot of drama inside and outside the courtroom is expected. It has been an emotional case for a lot of people.
The Connecticut State Police Union has stood behind North, but family members of Mubarak Soulemane, the man he’s accused of killing, called him a murderer.
Investigators said in 2020, Soulemane stole a car in Norwalk and led troopers on a high speed chase up Interstate 95 north before he crashed in West Haven. Police then boxed Soulemane in, but a short time later, North shot Soulemane seven times because he said he thought the 19-year-old was reaching for a knife.
The inspector general, however, said the shooting was not justified. That led to North’s arrest.
Much of the law enforcement community continues to support North. Last month before a scheduled court appearance, dozens of police officers from four different states marched to the Milford Superior Courthouse. They said the prosecution of North showed why many people in the law enforcement community felt their profession was under attack.
On that same day, Soulemane’s family held a rally and accused the officers and troopers who marched of trying to intimidate their family.
North’s arraignment happened at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
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