STATE POLICE REQUESTED TO INVESTIGATE

                                           MERIDEN POLICE INCIDENT

   On 06/05/08, at about 11:30 p.m., Meriden Police responded to a complaint of threatening that took place at an apartment building located on 55 Willow Street in Meriden.  Meriden Police Officers entered the apartment building and confronted the suspect in his apartment. The suspect became violent and combative with the responding officers.  A violent struggle ensued and the officers request additional help, and police dispatch received telephonecalls from other tenants who stated that the officers needed assistance. 

   Meriden Police Officers were attempting to take the suspect into custody during the violent struggle when a Meriden officer utilized a Department Taser in an attempt to subdue the suspect. The taser was not successful in subduing the suspect and the struggle continued. Four Meriden Officers were finally able to handcuff the suspect. Upon securing the suspect, he suffered a medical incident.  EMS responded, provided emergency care and transported the suspect to Mid-State Medical Center E.R., where shortly after admission the suspect was pronounced dead.

   At the request of Meriden Police Chief Jeffrey Cossette and the New Haven State’s Attorneys Office,the State Police Central District Major Crime Squad Detectives were assigned to respond to conduct the investigation into this use of force incident. 

   During this investigation, State Police Detectives gathered physical and forensic evidence, documented the scene and interviewed all witnesses in this case.

   A postmortem examination of the deceased will take place at the Office of the Chief State’s Medical Examiners to determine the manner and cause of death.  State Police identified the deceased as DONOVAN GRAHAM, age 35, DOB: 12/27/72, of 55 Willow St., Apt. 703, Meriden, CT. 

   The incident remains under investigation.