Man Disputes Chicken Skin Is Litter

A Bridgeport man received a $99 citation Sunday for allegedly throwing chicken skin out a car window and then refusing a police officer’s order to pick it up and put it in a trash bin.

The incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. when Lt. Shawn Wong Won, who was parked in a patrol car at the intersection of Ely and Lexington avenues, allegedly observed the man, Leroy Blanding, throw something
out of his car, which was parked at a curb.

Wong Won reported he walked up to Blanding, told him he was littering, and advised him that there were two trash receptacles within
four feet of his car. He said Blanding replied that the chicken skin couldn’t be litter because there were no bones with it.

When Wong Won told Blanding the chicken skin was litter, Blanding
allegedly replied, “You’re just prejudiced.”

Blanding,69, is black and Wong Won is of Chinese descent.

Wong Won reported he told Blanding he was offended by his remark
and was tired of his “ridiculous shenanigans.”

Norwalk’s City Code 95A-3 defines litter, in part, as, “Any discarded, used or unconsumed substance or waste material (or garbage), whether made of aluminum, glass, plastic, rubber, paper or other natural or synthetic material.” It defines garbage as, “Any putrescible animal and vegetable wastes resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.”