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NAACP takes to court steps as ex-Wendy’s manager faces judge in Danielson

Brett White’s attorney is applying for a diversionary program, which the Windham-Willimantic branch of the NAACP objects to.

KILLINGLY, Conn — It isn’t common for leaders of a 114-year-old civil rights organization to take to court steps in a Connecticut town of just over 4,000 people but that’s precisely what unfolded Monday outside of Killingly Superior Court at Danielson. 

Chanting, ‘no justice, no peace’ leaders with the local Windham-Willimantic branch of the NAACP joined by statewide leaders marched across the street to the court steps where they called for a felony hate crime charge to stick against a 22-year-old former Wendy’s manager, Brett White, who faced Judge Kevin Shay inside.

“We are here to protect the civil rights of Donte and Denzel,” said Attorney Michael Jefferson of the NAACP Connecticut. “

Woodstock Academy boy’s varsity basketball coaches Donte Adams and Denzel Washington took a bus of students to the Plainfield Wendy’s on February 9 for post-game fuel when they were allegedly met with verbal harassment and called the n-word by White, who was the manager, but since been fired and was charged with breach of peace and threatening. Prosecutors added an additional charge of bigotry, a felony.

White appeared before Judge Kevin Shay Monday. His attorney, Rich Rothstein, wants White’s record eventually wiped clean via a diversionary program for first-time offenders called Accelerated Rehabilitation (AR). 

Coaches Adams and Washington take issue with that.

“If an individual walks into a restaurant, any establishment, only seeking to purchase food, and to be harassed and berated and called one of the ugliest words in the English language—the ‘n-word—obviously this is a hate crime,” Jefferson said. “View it as a hate crime. Bottom line. Not a slap on the wrist.” 

White didn’t shy from news cameras outside the court.

“I know I messed up. I’m not going to say I didn’t, so now I have the consequences to face,” White said. “I’m just trying to get help. I’m going to a therapist, a counselor.”

Part of applying for AR requires an apology to the victims, which White’s attorney said he tried to do.

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“He wanted to reach out to the people to apologize and they said no,” Rothstein said. 

Judge Shay didn’t hear the case for AR Monday. That’s because the state is still waiting on that surveillance footage from inside Wendy’s on Feb. 9 to determine the extent of the charges. His case was continued to May 18th.

Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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