Racial slur on Stamford couple’s home painted over

Paint was apparently sprayed over a racial slur painted on a High Clear Dr. house was covered in a second act of vandalism in Stamford, Conn. on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Paint was apparently sprayed over a racial slur painted on a High Clear Dr. house was covered in a second act of vandalism in Stamford, Conn. on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Photo: Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Racial slur on Stamford couple’s home painted over 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

STAMFORD — In a second act of vandalism, a racial slur painted on a garage door that the homeowner left in an effort to pressure police to investigate has been covered.

Police learned of the latest vandalism Wednesday afternoon, more than a month after Heather Lindsay, who is white, and her black partner Lexene Charles, awoke to the epithet at their Bull’s Head home.

The incident follows meetings Monday between Lindsay and city officials, who agreed to lift the $100-a-day blight fine levied on the woman for leaving the slur visible on her High Clear Drive home.

“It’s extremely odd,” Police Chief Jon Fontneau said Wednesday outside Lindsay’s home. “Someone was certainly taking great risk going to someone else’s home again and writing on the garage door.”

Fontneau, whose department has not determined who committed either act of vandalism, said officers were canvassing the neighborhood and knocked on doors.

“My concern is not only for Miss Lindsay, but for the neighborhood,” he said. “It’s not fair for her and it’s not fair for the neighbors.”

Lindsay, 59, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday she planned to accept the city’s offer to replace the door as long as the investigation moved ahead.

“I’m a victim,” she said. “We’re targets now. This is national news. There’s no turning back.”

But in that conversation, Lindsay did not mention the slur had been painted over and later told police she discovered it at 8 a.m. The incident was reported to police by someone who passed by the home about 1:30 p.m. Lindsay said she installed a security camera, but it was not on to capture the event.

Lindsay last month said police had not done enough to investigate the Jan. 14 vandalism, so she left the slur in protest, despite the mounting fine from the city. The incident drew the attention of the national news media, as well as the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union.

The former respiratory therapist and nursery school owner has said her home was previously vandalized and police never investigated. Lindsay has also said neighbors have yelled a racial slur at Charles, whom she calls her common-law husband.

The agreement this week on the fine was the result of meetings with Lindsay, the NAACP and the mayor’s office.

Lindsay will meet with the city again on Friday to discuss liens on her property, a 2,300-square-foot blue cape she took ownership of in 1992 for $100,000, according to city property records.

“I’m working out a deal, and I’m very hopeful that this will conclude that chapter,” Lindsay said. “They want to put up a new door and as long as we continue to make progress, I have no problem. Everyone knows what happened, so hopefully we’ll come to an agreement.”

Lindsay is facing two foreclosure suits on her house, one the result of more than $130,000 in unpaid fines from a 2012 blight citation. Lindsay’s attorney, Andre Cayo, has said the citation was for construction materials in her yard that have since been cleared. Lindsay is scheduled to appear in court next week.

Elizabeth Carlson, spokeswoman for Mayor David Martin, said the recent fines have been lifted but the past blight case stands.

“We will not be fining the couple for this specific incident,” she said.

Staff writer John Nickerson contributed to this story.