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Community Shocked By Officer's Murder Arrest w/ cut

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Friends of Newtown High School graduate Scott Smith reacted with shock this

week to the news the New Milford police officer had been charged with murder

following a December shooting incident on Route 202 in New Milford.

On duty at the time, Officer Smith, 27, allegedly shot and killed suspect

Franklyn Reid, 27, along the side of the road December 29 as he attempted to

make an arrest. According to prosecutors, Mr Reid was unarmed at the time he

was shot. However, Officer Smith told investigators he feared for his life

when the suspect made a sudden move as he was being pushed to the ground. Mr

Reid was wanted on a number of outstanding warrants.

Waterbury State's Attorney John Connelly brought the murder charge against Mr

Smith earlier this week, claiming he was unjustified in pulling the trigger.

Mr Connelly called it an "intentional" killing.

The incident occurred about a half mile north of the New Milford police

headquarters, across the street from a Sunoco gas station.

New Milford Police Chief James D. Sweeney was unavailable for comment this

week.

Officer Smith, who now lives in New Milford, was arraigned in Bantam Superior

Court Tuesday morning and released on $250,000 bond. He remains on paid leave.

Scott Smith was a standout three-sport athlete during his days at Newtown

High. He ran cross country in the fall, was a starting guard on the basketball

team and an all-Western Connecticut Conference (WCC) pitcher on the baseball

team. The former Newtown resident graduated in 1990 and went on to pitch at

Quinnipiac College in New Haven where he graduated in 1994 with a bachelor's

degree in social services. Recently, he served as a member of the Newtown

Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

His parents are Kenneth and Bonnie Smith, Jr of Kale Davis Road in Newtown.

Newtown High School math teacher Kevin O'Sullivan coached Scott Smith for two

years while he was a member of the NHS boys' basketball team.

"It's just a very sad thing," said Mr O'Sullivan, a family friend. "He was a

great guy -- very mild mannered. He was competitive, but never aggressive.

Scott was always well composed and one of the nicest athletes I ever coached."

Todd Suhar, a 1989 NHS graduate and basketball teammate of Scott Smith, called

the situation "unfortunate."

"I played with him for a couple of years. He was a thoughtful guy and a good

teammate," Mr Suhar said. "He was always trying to better himself and seemed

considerate of others."

Mr Suhar said he was bothered by accusations that the shooting may have been

motivated by race.

"That couldn't be farther from the truth," he said, pointing out that Scott's

father was the head boys' basketball coach at Danbury High for many years and

Scott spent a lot of time with the players there, many of whom were black.

Officer Smith was expected to speak publicly about the arrest Friday afternoon

at a press conference in Litchfield. He is being represented by attorneys

Roland F. Moots, Jr and Thomas J. Allingham of the law firm Moots, Pelligrini,

Spillane & Mannion of New Milford.

Officer Smith was hired by the New Milford Police Department in December of

1996 and worked for the first six months on a probationary basis. He was

officially sworn in during ceremonies held in April 1997.