Daniel J. Kemp, 29, New London, was charged May 31 with battery, child abuse, witness intimidation, obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct and five counts each of misdemeanor and felony bail jumping.
On March 29, 2010, Kemp appeared in court on charges of battery, strangulation and disorderly conduct as acts of domestic abuse. He was released on a $2,000 signature bond.
On May 28, 2011, New London Police Officers Todd Sarazin, Nick Kamba and Ryan Denu responded to a reported altercation at an apartment on the 800 block of Beacon Street.
When he arrived at the scene, Sarazin saw a teenager sitting in a vehicle outside the apartment building. The teen had red marks on his neck and chest, and appeared to have been crying.
According to the criminal complaint, Sarazin went inside the building where he encountered Kemp who fled to his own nearby apartment.
Sarazin, Kamba and Denu went to Kemp’s apartment, knocked and told Kemp to answer the door. When Kemp refused, Sarazin kicked down the door and entered the apartment with his weapon drawn. He saw movement in a bedroom and ordered Kemp to come out.
Kemp reportedly refused, saying that he was naked. Sarazin went into the bedroom, where he found Kemp lying in the bed under the covers. Sarazin and Kamba pulled Kemp out of the bed and onto the floor and struggled to handcuff him.
Kemp, who was wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, told the officers that he would be contacting his lawyer because his neck had been injured earlier and their pulling him out of the bed had caused further injury, according to the criminal complaint.
Kemp reportedly said he needed his neck brace, as well as his pants, as the officers escorted him out to the squad car. He was taken to the hospital.
A witness told police that Kemp had been choking the teenage boy. When the witness intervened, Kemp allegedly began fighting with him. The witness also reported that Kemp had not been wearing a brace all night.
Kemp faces up to six years in prison if convicted of physical abuse of a child, strangulation or felony bail jumping.