Justice for Dukes

Christopher Lamont Dukes

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Christopher Lamont Dukes exemplifies the profile of a true renaissance man. Shaped by countless mentors across athletics, music, criminology, and higher education, Christopher championed skills enabling him to establish 20+ year careers in music and higher education. His impeccable reputation across communities earned him an appointment to Assistant Director for the ASCA Donald D. Gehring Academy for Student Conduct Administrators and an induction into the New Haven Gridiron Club Football Hall of Fame.

Christopher’s greatest joy is spending time with family and rooting for the New York Jets. God has blessed Christopher with two amazing children who motivate him to persevere and do his best, in all things. Christopher credits his mother, Viola Dukes, for modeling strength and love and for teaching him life-long lessons he uses daily to build a society that is completely in love with justice.

Timeline of Tragedy (April 20, 2018 to present)

April 20, 2018, CCSU, New Britain, CT:  Christopher Dukes, a voice for truth, becomes a whistleblower at Central Connecticut State University. This act of integrity marks the beginning of a harrowing journey through a flawed justice system.

The Night That Changed Everything

April 25, 2018, Hartford, CT:  In a shocking twist, Dukes faces a life-altering swatting incident and wrongful arrest at his own residence. This event sets off a cascade of injustices that would test the very core of his being.

An Injustice Wildfire - Application of the Chokehold

• Excessive Bail and Pre-trial Detention:  Set at $750,000, later reduced to $450,000, the astounding bail amount speaks volumes about the overcharging and financial abuse Dukes endured.
• Media Manipulation and Loss:  Maligned in the media, Dukes not only loses his freedom but also his employment, home, and priceless time with his two children.
• Judicial and Prosecutor Misconduct:  The case unfolds in a series of prejudiced actions and decisions, indicative of deep-rooted misconduct within the criminal and family courts.

The Weight of Wrongful Allegations

Dukes faced an overwhelming barrage of accusations. Police and prosecutors painted a picture of a man he never was, wrongly bringing serious criminal charges including:

• Kidnapping in the first degree (charged twice)
• Strangulation in the second degree
• Risk of Injury to Minors (charged twice)
• Assault in the 3rd degree
• Threatening in the 2nd degree
• Breach of Peace in the 2nd degree

Resolute in the Face of Coercion

Amidst this judicial storm, the state attempted to force Dukes into a corner, offering a plea bargain that would have him serve 10 years in prison for crimes that never occurred (a.k.a no-crimes). Armed with irrefutable facts that proved his innocence, Dukes refused to yield. His unwavering rejection of the plea bargain was a testament to his courage, resilience, strength, and character.

• January 30, 2019: Dukes informed the court that he and his children were victims of swatting and the domestic violence claims were a cowardly distraction to keep authorities occupied chasing a no-crime case. He offered the court thousands of items supporting his innocence. The judge challenged Dukes to provide his evidence to the prosecutor.
  • Dukes provided a toxicology report refuting the claims of drunkenness
  • Medical Exams: Medical reports indicate there was no evidence Dukes was involved in any form of physical altercation on 4/24-25/2018.
  • Phone records reveal more than 18,000 communications between his accuser and her paramour before, during, and after the police activity 
  • DNA Test Results: Reports dated May 14, 2019 & October 18, 2019 support Dukes’ innocence. Both reports confirmed his accuser was the sole person to contribute DNA on all the strips of duct tape she claimed he used to restrain her. Dukes was deemed “eliminated” on the 10/18/2019 report.
  • False Statement Analysis: Prosecutor received a detailed analysis exposing Dukes’ accuser as having made more than 500 false statements throughout the pretrial process.
  • Multiple witnesses provided sworn affidavits supporting Dukes’ claims
  • Dukes sought relief by filing official complaints, and providing all of the evidence, to the following law enforcement agencies : Hartford Police, CT State Police, FBI, and the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
  • Additionally, Dukes made multiple requests for help from each of the politicians elected to represent his region.
• November 7, 2019 - Prosecutor, after reviewing Dukes’  irrefutable evidence, paid a surprise visit to Dukes’ Senior Pastor at First Church to gain his assistance in convincing Dukes to accept a plea bargain.

The Turning Point

• November 14, 2019: All criminal charges are dismissed after the State’s case collapsed. Dukes, standing steadfast against coercion and injustice, avoided a potential 40-year sentence.
• State prosecutor, in defeat, refused to publicly acknowledge Dukes’ innocence. Instead, she claimed this case was better suited for Family Court.
• August 20, 2020: The Department of Children and Families (DCF) reversed all original findings by deeming claims of abuse against Dukes were “unsubstantiated”.
• November 30, 2020: An Arbitrator ruled the accusations were untrue given they are overwhelmingly contradicted by credible evidence. He ordered Dukes be made whole with back pay, reinstatement to his position as Director of Student Conduct, and his disciplinary record destroyed.
• April 22, 2021: CT Board of Firearms Permit Examiners unanimously deemed Dukes was indeed suitable for the reinstatement of his pistol permit which the Hartford Police wrongly denied him.
• November 21, 2022: The Connecticut Supreme Court heard oral arguments to affirm the righteous ruling from the arbitrator which were vacated by a superior court judge. A decision is long overdue.
• May 31, 2024: The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Dukes was wrongfully terminated from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). The ruling reversed the lower court’s decision to vacate the arbitration award and CCSU must reinstate Dukes to his former job and make him whole for all economic losses (including full salary with general wage increases and benefits) for the duration he was out of work in addition to a full purging of his record of any discipline.

The Fight for Justice

Christopher, his family, and determined advocates, continue their fight to clear his name entirely and end the Chokeholds within the legal system that led to this injustice. Christopher co-founded and now serves as the president of American Justice Project, Inc. (AJP), turning his pain into a higher purpose.

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