HARTFORD Conn.
The state chapter of the NAACP called Thursday for a federal
investigation of possible civil rights violations after members of the
Connecticut State Police received racist e-mails.
State police have opened an internal investigation into the
e-mails, which were sent to the director of the state forensic lab and
employees he oversees, including troopers and civilians. The e-mails originated
from a private e-mail address, and investigators were in the process of
confirming who sent it.
A photograph and video were e-mailed to private accounts in
February. The photo is of a black man lying on a street surrounded by pieces of
watermelon and a bucket of chicken, while the video shows a young white girl
repeating racial slurs with the encouragement of off-camera adults.
The materials, which surfaced Tuesday, were sent earlier
this year, about a week after Sgt. Andrew Crumbie was replaced as head of the
lab by Lt. David Rice. Crumbie, who is black, has alleged that racial
discrimination was behind the decision to replace him with Rice, who is white.
State NAACP officials said Thursday that they have been
contacted by Crumbie and several other black troopers concerned about racism
and discrimination in the department. All of those troopers have filed
discrimination lawsuits or complaints against state police within the past five
years.
The NAACP wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil
rights division Thursday, requesting an investigation into the allegations made
by the black troopers.
