MILFORD — The Connecticut State Police trooper charged fatally shooting Mubarak Soulemane nearly three years ago appeared in court Monday.
Trooper Brian North appeared before Judge Peter Brown, who continued the case to March 15 after asking the state trooper to waive any potential conflict of interest involving the lawyers representing him.
The prosecutor in the case, Inspector General Robert J. Devlin Jr., had asked the judge to seek assurance from North after appointing one of the attorneys representing him, Jeffrey Ment, had also represented other troopers involved in the investigation.
Devlin told Brown that if the troopers were called to testify in the case, there may be a chance something they say could compel Ment “to violate his duty and of loyalty and confidentiality to his clients” in order to help North’s defense.
A former longtime judgeDevlin said that even if the possibility of a conflict was remote, he was obligated to bring the issue up.
“It’s theoretical … but it could possibly happen,” he said in court.
Ment and North said they had discussed the issue.
“I don’t believe there’s a conflict to be waived, but to the extent that Trooper North is asked to waive this potential conflict, he is prepared to do that,” Ment said.
“To the extent that any conflict does arise, you’re waiving that and allowing them to continue to represent you, is that correct?” Judge Brown then asked North.
“Yes, your honor,” he said.
The judge then continued the case to March after another lawyer representing North, Frank J. Riccio II, said they were still going over discovery materials.
North, who was charged with first-degree manslaughter earlier this year after investigators said he fired seven shots into a stolen car driven by Soulemane on Jan. 15, 2020, declined to comment while
