Waterbury plaintiff counsel Michelle Holmes had a lot to prove in accusing eight North Haven and East Haven police officers of colluding to fabricate evidence and pin a crime on her client that he didn’t commit.

Holmes knew that none of the officers in either town were disciplined for their alleged involvement in the false arrest of her client, Joseph Arcangelo. She also knew that getting the town’s insurance carriers to sign off on any settlement—given the defendants claims of qualified immunity—was a tall order.