The city of Hartford, Connecticut, has urged a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it and its police detectives by a man who was falsely accused of murder, arguing the city cannot be liable for the alleged conduct of its employees and that statutory deadlines weren't met.

In a memo and a motion to dismiss filed Thursday in Connecticut federal court, the city contended that under state law, it could not be held liable for conduct that Ramon Charles Smith described as "willful, wanton or intentional acts of its employees."

Smith's suit accused Hartford police detectives Andrew T. Jacobson and R. Kevin Salkeld of acting "knowingly or recklessly" and "intentionally" when they falsely arrested and imprisoned Smith for the 2007 murder of Joshua McCleland. Smith was on house arrest at the time McCleland was killed on the street nearby, and Smith's ankle monitor showed he did not leave the house, which was just one reason he never should have been arrested, according to his court filings. However, the city said this conduct couldn't be held against it under state law.

Hartford also asserted that Smith's suit against it was doomed because he failed "to allege compliance with the statutory notice provisions" of the state as required.

Smith was arrested Oct. 29, 2021, for the murder, and the case against him was dismissed Oct. 21, 2024, according to his September 2025 complaint. Therefore, Smith "was required to file a notice of his intent to file suit by April 21, 2025. However, the plaintiff fails to allege they provided any ... notice to the city," according to the city's filings.

McCleland's murder was a cold case when Smith was arrested for the crime as part of a police investigation relying on jailhouse informants and fabricated witness statements, Smith alleged.

Detectives also misrepresented Smith, showing witnesses images of him with short hair since the murder suspect was described as such, even though Smith had long hair at the time McClelland was killed, his complaint said.

Though Smith did not kill McClelland, police hid evidence that could have proved this — including his ankle monitor data — and "manipulated and manufactured" witness statements "to falsely implicate Plaintiff," according to the suit.

Smith blamed the city and the detectives for intentionally causing emotional distress, among other things.

Representatives of Smith and the detectives did not immediately respond to requests for comments Friday, and a spokesperson for the city declined to comment on the case.

Smith is represented by James S. Brewer of James S. Brewer Attorney at Law.

Jacobson and Salkeld are represented by Thomas R. Gerarde of Howd & Ludorf LLC.

City of Hartford is represented by its own Nathalie Feola-Guerrieri.

The case is Smith v. Jacobson et al., case number 3:25-cv-01533, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

--Editing by Covey Son.