Lawyers for Late Redding Attorney 'Astonished' at State Attorney's Announcement

REDDING, CT — Lawyers representing the late Gugsa Abraham "Abe" Dabela, who died after suffering a gunshot wound to the head following a car accident, are questioning Danbury State's attorney Stephen Sedensky's ruling that there was not evidence suggesting a homicide. The family of Dabela filed suit in federal court in April, asserting that the case was not throughly investigated because their son was black.

Keith Altman, representing the family, says that there was no evidence that Sedensky's office conducted a full and independent investigation.

“The Redding Police Department concluded six hours after Abe’s death, that Dabela took his own life before an autopsy had been performed and before any ballistic tests were conducted," said Altman in a press release. Furthermore, Dabela’s hands were bagged at the scene so that the medical examiner could test them for gunshot residue and inspect them for evidence. Inexplicably, the bags were removed by the medical examiner and the body was washed without a residue test being conducted and without the left hand even being photographed."

The announcement included a series of points, which Altman suggested were evidence in support of a homicide. Those are listed below:

• Dabela was shot through the back of the head
• Dabela’s DNA was not present on the bullet which the Redding Police Department claimed was the bullet that killed Dabela
• Dabela’s DNA was not found on the trigger, yet the DNA of at least one other individual was found on the trigger
• neither the bullet nor the bullet casing recovered at the scene was conclusively linked to Abe’s gun
• a muddy footprint was found on the back of the jacket Dabela was wearing
• there is no evidence that he was suicidal and, in fact, Dabela was at a local pub prior to his death and numerous observers said he appeared to be in excellent spirits
• Dabela’s gun had at least two safety features, which would prevent an accidental discharge
• there is no record of a GSR test being run on Abe’s hands, but the cuffs of his jacket tested negative for GSR

The criminal investigation into the matter was closed Tuesday, according to Sedensky's announcement.
Dabela was driving home when his car overturned and "the subsequent discharge of a firearm resulted in his death," according to Sedensky. Several law enforcement agencies investigated the death, which was originally ruled a suicide by Redding Police and the Chief Medical Examiner.

In 2015, Dabela's family stated they did not believe the attorney committed suicide, saying the death came under "mysterious circumstances." The family questioned why Dabela's DNA was not found on the trigger of the gun a the scene and why there was no suicidal intention expressed.

Dabela’s family also said that Dabela was excited about an upcoming weekend motorcycle trip and successes with his newly incorporated legal practice.

The NAACP of Connecticut launched a separate investigation into Dabela's death.

“We are astonished that instead of limiting his statement to a conclusion that the evidence is insufficient for his office to establish that a homicide took place, Sedensky went beyond his role and stated that no homicide occurred," said Altman. "This is a statement that means no available physical evidence supports a homicide finding, which is patently false. His statement is irresponsible and not the sort of statement prosecutor’s typically make and we eagerly anticipate questioning him on the record next month.”

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