Framed and Forgotten: How the Justice System Betrayed a Brain Injury Survivor

My name is Craig Sears, and this is the account of how the very system designed to defend me instead became my adversary.

Living with a traumatic brain injury has forced me to confront obstacles few can imagine. These hardships grant me a perspective shaped not by theory, but by survival. I offer these facts directly, trusting that my lived experience will resonate and demonstrate why my story matters.

Early Ordeals

For years, court orders forced me into prisons and state mental hospitals. Each time, I was left to wonder why such extreme measures were taken—and what would become of me. This is how I found answers.

I name names and badge numbers to demand accountability and expose corruption that preys on people with disabilities. While media sometimes spotlight misconduct, most law enforcement abuses remain hidden. I am exhausted by the exploitation of my disability and relentless harassment. My goal is for this story to ignite action and raise awareness. Contact your local officials, speak out on social media, and back advocacy groups fighting for disability rights. Together, our collective voices can drive real change.

The Injustice of the Legal System

The Bridgeport Police Department’s actions reveal how easily the legal system can be twisted to persecute the innocent. My case is a stark example of this injustice.

It began with a fabricated traffic stop and false evidence—including a stock photo of an empty car, pulled from the internet, with no license plate. Detective Holtz used this image to frame me. There was no victim; the entire case was invented. Audio was outdated, altered, and taken out of context—a setup built on lies and staged arrests.

By exposing Detective Holtz and the Bridgeport Police Department’s deceit, I seek to hold them accountable—and to prevent others from being victimized. True justice demands we confront these abuses of power head-on.

Detective Holtz authored reports and forged documents to destroy my reputation, resulting in my wrongful arrest. His investigation, upon learning of my disability, only deepened his bias and the persecution I endured.

When I discovered there was a warrant for my arrest, I turned myself in and obtained the court documents. The charges—built on Holtz’s lies—were absurd: I was nowhere near Bridgeport or the alleged crime scene. It was clear I had been targeted.

Determined to clear my name, I presented documentation, therapy receipts, and witness statements—all ignored by the court. My fight for justice became bigger than me: it became a battle for everyone wronged by this system.

Navigating a Broken System

Navigating the judicial system is grueling—especially for those with invisible disabilities. Prosecutors pressured me to take a plea deal, but I refused to confess to a crime I did not commit.

My advocacy started with the Connecticut Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) class action, which secured the ABI waiver for people like me. Sharing my story through this program empowered me—and others—to speak out.

I obtained my case files—including state discovery—and filed motions to communicate about my case. Reviewing the evidence with my attorney revealed glaring discrepancies: the car photo wasn’t mine, and the audio had been manipulated. Detective Holtz, the key witness, was inventing a story—not telling the truth.

When I demanded the full case file, I found the photo Holtz used to frame me. The court acknowledged the vehicle wasn’t mine. The warrant described a suspect with facial hair—another falsehood, as I didn’t match that description. Receipts and witnesses confirmed I wasn’t in Bridgeport when the alleged crime occurred.

In Bridgeport Superior Court, Judge McShane ordered my attorney and me not to mention police perjury. Despite overwhelming evidence—my proven absence from Bridgeport, mismatched vehicles, and false suspect descriptions—the court allowed the case to continue. Manipulated audio was dismissed, and I was left to disprove Holtz’s lies alone.

Corruption Exposed

My ordeal is just one example of deep-rooted problems in the Bridgeport Police Department: evidence falsification, manipulation, and a culture of corruption. For years, the department has been investigated, with many officers disciplined for dishonesty. Such misconduct destroys public trust and endangers the innocent.

The Pattern of Targeting

After learning of the arrest warrant, I surrendered. No one explained the charges. Only after my release did I see the warrant—built entirely on Holtz’s fabrications. I wasn’t in Bridgeport on the day in question and had never been near the supposed scene. From the start, I was singled out.

These false accusations shattered my reputation and sense of safety. Yet the injustice only steeled my resolve to clear my name—and fight for others who have been targeted.

Despite providing detailed documentation—proof of my disability, therapy records, and credible witnesses—the court ignored the evidence. Prosecutors kept pushing a plea deal. Even when the court tried to blame my disability using the 54–56 program, I refused to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.

Many people believe taking a plea bargain means there was merit to the case, but that’s a myth. A plea or program is essentially an admission of guilt and leaves a permanent mark on your record. It’s another way for courts and prosecutors to cover for police perjury and reward dishonest officers. When you have a disability, the system is stacked against you from every angle—I’ve lived it, and I reference it below.

Advocacy and Systemic Change

My advocacy began years before these events. I participated in the Connecticut Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) class action, which created the vital ABI waiver. That fight gave me the foundation to speak not only for myself but also for others suffering under a broken system.

I was institutionalized at Fairfield Hills State Hospital in Newtown, Connecticut, during an era of rampant abuse and patient rights violations. Our class action lawsuit, led by survivors and advocates, challenged the warehousing of people with brain injuries in facilities where real treatment was impossible. We proved these practices violated constitutional and disability rights laws. The reforms—including the ABI waiver—were hard-won victories.

Despite these triumphs, individuals with brain injuries continue to face punishment and exploitation within our legal system. Real justice demands relentless advocacy, civil remedies, and systemic change.

The Fight Continues

Advocacy has allowed me to share my story and support others confronting similar obstacles. To every survivor: you are not alone. The same systemic bias I saw during our lawsuit still infects Connecticut’s laws today. Statutes like 54–56d, supposedly about competency, are too often used to justify warehousing instead of support.

I reported Detective Holtz’s misconduct to every authority—court officials, internal affairs, the Police Commissioners’ Board. Each closed rank to shield him. My evidence was clear; accountability was nowhere to be found.

I remain determined to expose what happened. Detective Jeffrey Holtz, badge 40462, did more than insult me—he showed utter contempt for citizens’ rights and the rule of law. His actions must be a matter of public record.

Proving Audio Manipulation

Can audio tampering be proven? Absolutely. Audio files carry unique electrical network frequency traces that can reveal edits. My legal team’s analysis exposed clear signs of forgery and manipulation—yet the court pressed on, refusing to face the truth.

I filed motions and demanded a full investigation of the audio evidence. Even when denied, I pressed on—sharing our findings and refusing to accept "no" as the final word.

Investigation of the Traffic Stop

The charges against me supposedly arose from incidents on Catherine Street over several days. Yet police reports were fraudulent, the car wasn’t mine, and the photos were stock images found online. On the date in question, I was elsewhere—with proof.

After my arrest, I posted bond and obtained the warrant—still with no explanation from police. Detective Holtz and other officers never questioned me about the alleged event.

Police recordings were riddled with inconsistencies and obvious edits—voice-overs, altered backgrounds, and no clear reference to any crime. Holtz alone connected me, my car, and my license plate to the incident, but his version contradicted all official records. My own investigation revealed that the alleged victim, witnesses, and addresses simply did not exist.

Demonstrating Detective Holtz’s Falsehoods

Key evidence came from my public defender, Thomas J. Paoletta, and my own research. I verified the “father” in the complaint had never lived at the address Holtz listed, nor did he know about the incident or anyone involved. The supposed witness was entirely fictitious.

The entire case was a fabrication. The alleged witnesses and victims had no connection to me or each other, and their addresses were invented.

Standing Up Against Lies

Throughout this ordeal, I demanded that any supposed victim or witness appear in court and provide identification. After years of delay, Judge McShane finally set a trial date—yet no one showed up. The case was marked “nolle prosequi”—not dismissed, but left open, a tactic law enforcement uses to dodge accountability.

I was denied my Sixth Amendment right to confront my accuser. By refusing to require any victim or witness to appear, the court made it impossible for me to challenge the lies against me.

Proof of a Frame-Up

• The “father” used as a witness had never lived at the reported address.
• The address provided did not exist.
• Neither the alleged father nor the witness had any knowledge of the supposed crime.
• This manufactured story relied entirely on altered audio and forged documents.

Despite all this, the Bridgeport Police Department and the judicial system continued to violate not just my rights, but the rights of countless others.

A Pattern of Misconduct

My case is not unique. How many others—especially the vulnerable or disabled—have been targeted the same way? The evidence shows a pattern: fake victims, false witnesses, doctored recordings, and a system determined to shield its own. My calls for investigation into police perjury were denied; the system protected itself.

Internal investigations have exposed widespread corruption in the Bridgeport Police Department. Many officers have been disciplined for lying on official reports—yet complaints are routinely dismissed, and the cycle of abuse continues.

Repeated Legal Battles

This wasn’t the first time these tactics were deployed against me. Over multiple cases, the same false evidence and the same public defenders appeared. Each time, prosecutors failed to produce real witnesses or victims, and each case was quietly dropped or marked “nolle.”

I escalated my complaints, reported attorneys who refused to present my evidence, and even hired private counsel. Every time, the system refused to face the truth.

Systemic Exploitation and the Fight for Justice

Living with an invisible disability makes people targets for systemic exploitation. Detective Holtz even cited my brain injury to justify his false narrative. Instead of protecting me, my disability was weaponized against me.

Despite my advocacy and work at the state and national level, entrenched prejudice remains. When will this end?

Closing Reflections and Call to Action

I have fought in courtrooms, government offices, and even on Capitol Hill. I have met with senators, spoken to federal agencies, and worked alongside national brain injury organizations. My story is just one example of a deeper crisis: law enforcement lies, systemic bias, and cover-ups are rampant. How many more stories remain buried?

With justice denied in the courts, I brought my case to my congressional representative and filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I will not stop fighting.

Conclusion

My journey through the criminal justice system has been a relentless fight for truth, dignity, and justice. Living with a traumatic brain injury, I have witnessed firsthand how easily the system can be weaponized against people with disabilities. The fabrications, abuse of power, and institutional cover-ups I endured are not outliers—they are the product of a culture where accountability is replaced by denial, and bias against the vulnerable is allowed to thrive.

Through constant challenges, I have refused to be silenced. I have documented every step, confronted every lie, and taken my story to those in power. Through advocacy, evidence, and persistence, I have exposed a harsh truth: the very system meant to protect us can become our oppressor—especially when we are most vulnerable.

But my story is more than an exposé of injustice—it is a testament to resilience and hope. It is a call for real reform and respect for the rights of people with disabilities. I stand not only for myself, but for everyone who has faced discrimination, framing, or neglect.

I urge you: Demand accountability from our institutions. Support survivors of injustice. Never accept prejudice or corruption as the status quo. Change is possible, but only if we persist and raise our voices—again and again.

My battle continues—not just for my own exoneration, but so that truth prevails and others are spared the suffering I endured simply for having a disability.

Never stop fighting.