From Hartford's WVIT (nbc30.com) of February 12, 2004:
Jury Rejects Wounded Burglar's Request For Damages
A Waterbury jury has rejected a burglar's bid for damages for being shot when he broke into a house five years ago.
Clarence Wiggins had sued Louis Steponaitis Jr. for shooting him in arm on Dec. 16, 1998.
Wiggins claimed he broke into a house on Pine Street looking for a place to sleep. Steponaitis, who purchases, renovates and rents buildings in distressed neighborhoods in the city, was sleeping upstairs to prevent burglaries. He awoke to sounds of someone entering the building.
Steponaitis said he warned Wiggins to stop and only fired the shotgun when Wiggins continued to come toward him.
The jury took about one hour Wednesday to reject Wiggins' claim.
Wiggins served time for third-degree burglary related to the break-in. He later violated probation for that crime and served time for a failure to appear charge.
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