A Connecticut man plans to sue two towns after he was mistaken for a murder suspect with the same name and arrested.
Attorney Robert Berke says he has filed his intent to sue Southington and New Britain police after his client Benjamin Morales' arrest.
Berke says Morales was arrested at a Southington hotel at 4 a.m. on Feb. 5 and handcuffed for several hours during a police search for the suspect in the killing of Alice Marie Figueroa.
Figueroa was shot multiple times in New Britain on Feb. 4.
Morales says his arrest frightened his children, and his wife was handcuffed. Police eventually released the Waterbury resident after determining they had the wrong man. Berke says his client looks different from the suspect.
New Britain and Southington police declined to comment.
Police continue to look for the suspect in Figueroa’s death, identified as 42-year-old Benjamin Morales, of Elam Street. He is described as 5-foot-6, with brown hair and brown eyes. Three other people have been arrested in connection with the case.
