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Police Deny Wrongdoing in New Canaan Man’s Custody-Related Complaint
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Named as defendants in a lawsuit that a local man filed last fall against his ex-wife’s parents, three members of the New Canaan Police Department are denying wrongdoing in the way they handled two children caught a custody clash between the two parties that unfolded nearly one year ago. According to an Answer filed on their behalf last week in U.S. District Court, the police acted in good faith, consulting with state officials prior to releasing the two young children into the care of their maternal grandparents, and “deny any wrongful acts in their handling of the delicate situation related to the Plaintiff and his [children].”
“The acts and conduct of the Defendants, to the extent that they occurred as alleged, which is herein expressly denied, were undertaken in the good faith and performance of their official duties, were without malice, were objectively reasonable under the circumstances of which they were aware, did not violate any clearly established constitutional rights of the Plaintiff and, as such, the Defendants have a qualified immunity defense from all liability and suit,” according to the Answer, filed Feb. 2 by attorney John Cannavino Jr. of Stamford-based Ryan Ryan DeLuca LLP. Despite prior court orders prohibiting the grandparents from even contacting the children, their lies to police and malicious actions led temporarily last spring to the kids coming under their care, according to the original complaint. It started on Saturday, March 19, 2016, after the children had gone to a sleepover at a friend’s house, the complaint said.