New charges filed against East Haven cops

Just days after their reputed leader pleaded guilty, three East Haven police officers face more charges as federal prosecutors obtain a new indictment.

The new indictment accuses Police Officers David Cari, Dennis Spaulding and Jason Zullo and others with participating in a three-year conspiracy to violate citizen's constitutional rights that now includes 35 different acts of harassment, intimidation and excessive force against mostly Latino citizens.

The indictment also charges Zullo with two additional counts of unreasonable force and a charge of obstruction of justice. Those charges stem from an October, 2008 incident in which Zullo allegedly crashed his cruiser into a motorcycle knocking the driver and the passenger to the ground. The indictment alleges that he punched one of the individuals and then filed a false report on the incident.

The trio is expected to appear before Chief U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson and pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Their trial is expected to begin early next year.

The three officers allegedly belonged to a squad known as "Miller's boys" named after their Sgt. John Miller, a former Ansonia police officer, according to federal investigators.

Miller pleaded guilty to a charge of striking a handcuffed Italian-American man in the stomach during an arrest.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors said they would recommend he receive no prison time if he cooperates with the ongoing investigation.