Crime & Safety
Danbury's Business Community Supported DaSilva at Sentencing
A number of people spoke on Danbury Landlord Joseph DaSilva's behalf at sentencing Wednesday, and the judge appeared to take notice of them.
When Joseph DaSilva stood for sentencing, he wasn't alone.
Mark Nolan and his brother Robert Nolan, of Nolan Enterprises, a property management and downtown development firm, appeared at the sentencing in support of DaSilva.
Steven Greenberg, formerly of and Countrywide Home Mortgage and now of Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan, spoke on DaSilva's behalf.
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Andrea Gartner, executive director of CityCenter Danbury, spoke on DaSilva's behalf.
Danbury Attorney Gregory Klein, who represented the victim's family in a civil lawsuit against DaSilva, spoke favorably about DaSilva to Judge John Blawie.
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"Joe DaSilva did step up and do the right thing," said Klein of the law firm Alan Barry & Associates. "He personally made a contribution to the settlement of his own money."
Greenberg said DaSilva has a commitment to downtown Danbury that hasn't been true for many people in the city.
"Joe and I worked on affordable housing issues," Greenberg said. "Joe has been piecing together private parcels in the city and setting aside some of the property for affordable housing. He's devoted a lot of time and talent to the community."
Judge Blawie referred several times during the sentencing to letters he received on DaSilva's behalf, saying his decision was made more difficult by the combination of the crime one the one hand, and DaSilva's help for the city on the other.
DaSilva pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and to two counts of assault for throwing out men who were squatting in one of his apartments on Town Hill Avenue. The police report said DaSilva literally kicked the men out, and one of hte men, Luis Encalada, an immigrant from Ecuador, died later that day from "blunt force trauma," believed to have been partially caused by DaSilva.
Gartner of CityCenter Danbury, said DaSilva opened the Palace Theater in 2007 for the city's First Night celebrations, and didn't charge. He didn't charge for its use for First Night ever since.
"He has made impactful help for downtown and he is helping to bring about real change and transformation," Gartner said.
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