Woman was key witness in a murder case
By Dave Collins
Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Sandra Elliott says she hopes the new year will finally bring justice for the 2007 slaying of her daughter.
Asher Glace, a 21-year-old nursing student, was gunned down in the driveway of her Hartford home. Glace was a key witness in a North End bar murder case that was to go to trial in two months.
The murder suspect and his brother were charged in her death, but prosecutors dropped the charges last year citing a lack of witnesses and evidence.
Elliott sued Hartford police and state prosecutors in federal court, accusing them of knowing Glace's life was in danger but not protecting her under Connecticut's witness protection law. A judge dismissed the lawsuit last year, ruling that Elliott didn't prove her claims.
"I'm very angry with the situation with the justice system," Elliott said. "I still have not found any justice for my daughter yet. I know that will not bring her back, but I want someone held responsible for her death."
Elliott said her New Year's resolution is to step up her efforts. Her best, and possibly last, chance will be her appeal of the dismissal of her lawsuit. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City is expected to hear arguments in the appeal by mid-2015.
Glace told police she saw who shot and killed 34-year-old O'Neil Robinson during a fight at the Cleveland Cafe in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day 2005. She told police Anthony Thompson shot the Bloomfield father of 12. Two other men also were shot but survived.
Thompson fled to Jamaica after the shootings but was caught and returned to the U.S. three months later, according to court documents. He later was convicted of killing Robinson and sentenced to 70 years in prison.
Elliott alleged in her lawsuit that before Thompson was brought to trial, two fellow inmates of his informed police officials and a prosecutor that Glace's life was in danger because she planned to testify against Thompson.
Prison officials also recorded conversations between Thompson and his brother, Earl Thompson, including one that state police believe captured the brothers talking in code about killing Glace, according to court documents.
The lawsuit names former Hartford Police Chief Patrick Harnett, who was chief when Robinson was killed, Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane and former Chief State's Attorney Christopher Morano.
Attorneys for the three officials denied the allegations. An assistant state attorney general representing Kane and Morano also said the Chief State's Attorney's Office never received a referral from the Hartford State's Attorney's Office to place Glace in witness protection.
Harnett, who was chief until July 2006, said in a recent interview that he didn't know anything about Glace or about Elliott's lawsuit.
Published: Tue, Dec 30, 2014
