The state Appellate Court has upheld a trial judge’s ruling that Kurt R. Dyer stole over $69,000 from the Bethel Baseball Association while serving as its treasurer in 2017-18.
As a result, he has been ordered to pay the association more than $207,000—three times the stolen amount—under Connecticut’s civil theft statute.
Dyer, who represented himself in both the initial trial and the appeal, remains determined to fight the ruling. “We are committed to continuing our fight to clear my name, my family’s name,” he said in an email Wednesday.
He mentioned having “viable legal options” but did not specify whether he plans to seek a review by the state Supreme Court or request a rehearing before the Appellate Court.
Previously, Dyer had served as the association’s president before becoming treasurer. When asked about his ability to pay the court-ordered amount, he called the question “irrelevant” and emphasized his goal of ensuring accountability for the alleged emotional and financial harm caused to his family.
He also claimed that the association’s financial records, now available online, tell a different story from what was presented in court.
Judge Dan Shaban presided over the 2023 civil trial in Danbury, which was separate from Dyer’s 2020 criminal case, in which he was arrested for first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny.
As part of a pretrial diversion program, he paid $25,313 to the baseball association, and the charges were dismissed upon his successful completion of the program. No criminal conviction remains on his record.
His wife, Jennifer Dyer, was also arrested in the case, but the charges against her were dismissed in 2021.
One of the key issues in the appeal was whether the trial judge’s findings were based on incorrect facts.
The Appellate Court explained that overturning a trial judge’s factual findings requires proving they were “clearly erroneous,” meaning there was no supporting trial evidence or a firm conviction that a mistake was made. The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that Dyer failed to meet this standard.
Dyer had challenged the trial judge’s finding that he provided written explanations for withdrawals to another person in the association.
He argued that the cited document did not support this claim. However, the Appellate Court pointed out that other evidence showed he had given explanations to the association’s finance committee, rendering any errors in the trial judge’s findings “harmless.”
Additionally, Dyer argued that the trial judge failed to address the association’s lack of response to his discovery requests.
However, the Appellate Court ruled that he had not properly raised this issue during the trial, which is generally required before it can be addressed on appeal.
Ultimately, the Appellate Court’s decision affirms the trial judge’s findings and leaves Dyer responsible for the $207,000 payment.
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