Deluca Panel Turns Down Chief’s Offer

To Testify

HARTFORD — The panel investigating state Senator Louis DeLuca is turning down the Waterbury police chief’s offer to read his sworn testimony in person.

The bipartisan Senate committee says it appreciates Police Superintendent Neil O’Leary’s willingness to appear, but the lawmakers say his written sworn testimony is enough considering they have limited time.

DeLuca is being investigated after pleading guilty this summer to a misdemeanor charge of threatening for asking a businessman with reputed mob ties to threaten his granddaughter’s husband. DeLuca says he believed the man was abusing his granddaughter and he only sought businessman James Galante’s help when Waterbury police refused to intervene.

O’Leary has repeatedly denied that DeLuca ever reported the abuse to him.