- The suspect in this week’s Foxwoods police incident concedes he was high on drugs
- Defendant David Griswold’s attorney told the court he was on crack and heroin
- Griswold remains in custody despite his bond being cut in half
The suspect in this week’s incident at Foxwoods Resorts Casino, David Griswold, 40, who allegedly unlawfully restrained two people against their will while armed inside a hotel room, has conceded before a state judge that he was under the influence of crack cocaine. His bond was nonetheless cut in half.
State prosecutors provided New London’s Superior Court on Tuesday with new details on what led to an “all available” police response to the tribal casino owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
Prosecuting attorneys told Judge Jassette Henry that tribal police first responded early Monday morning to the Fox Tower’s 16th floor for a disturbance call that was “physical in nature.” Moments before police arrived on the floor, two women fled from the 16-101 guestroom.
The women, one described as an escort in the police report, told law enforcement that they had been partying with Griswold, who himself had been “partying for several days,” before he allegedly turned violent. The women allege Griswold prevented them from leaving the hotel room, with one hiding behind a couch, “saying my last goodbyes.” After a 9-1-1 call came in, the women managed to escape as police arrived.
Crack Cocaine Use, Charges Questioned
During his Tuesday preliminary hearing, Griswold’s public defender told the court that his client had relapsed and was high on crack cocaine and heroin.
When police arrived at his door and tried to make entry shortly after 6:30 am, Griswold allegedly brandished a firearm and pointed it in the officers’ direction. State police negotiators then talked with Griswold for several hours.
Around 12:45 pm, state police used an unmanned robot to enter the room. Griswold finally surrendered and was taken into custody. Griswold reportedly told police during that arrest that he was under the influence of crack and heroin.
While Henry allowed several charges to proceed, including four misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and breach of peace, she questioned the more serious felony charges of unlawful restraint and attempt to commit first-degree assault. Henry said the state didn’t meet its burden of proof to warrant the two unlawful restraint charges — Class D felonies — and the two Class B attempt to commit first-degree assaults.
As a result, Henry cut Griswold’s bond in half from $1 million to $500K.
Counts Could Return
The more serious charges haven’t been dismissed. Instead, state prosecutors will return next month to better present the charges to Henry based upon additional information. State prosecutors stated that they were unable to obtain certain details before the Tuesday arraignment.
Griswold remains in custody after failing to post the $500K bond. If he manages to post, Henry has instructed him to hand over his four registered firearms, have no contact with the two alleged victims, and agree to electronic monitoring.
Griswold was previously convicted of aggravated DUI, but his criminal record is otherwise unremarkable.
Foxwoods was only minimally disrupted by Monday’s matter, with parts of the Fox Tower inaccessible and some guests confined to their hotel rooms during the police response.
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