Chief State’s Attorney Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of April 3, 2024

Office of the Chief State's Attorney
300 Corporate Place
Rocky Hill, Connecticut

The meeting was called to order at 12:45 p.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin.

Also present: Deputy Chief State’s Attorney of Administration, Personnel and Finance John J. Russotto; Deputy Chief State’s Attorney of Operations Kevin Lawlor; Deputy Chief State’s Attorney, Inspector General Robert J. Devlin, Jr.; State’s Attorneys Margaret E. Kelley (Ansonia/Milford), Joseph T, Corradino (Bridgeport), David R. Applegate (Danbury),  Sharmese L. Walcott (Hartford), David R. Shannon (Litchfield), Michael A. Gailor (Middlesex), Christian M. Watson (New Britain), John P. Doyle, Jr. (New Haven), Paul J. Narducci (New London), Paul J. Ferencek (Stamford/Norwalk), Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Anne F. Mahoney (Windham) and Maureen T. Platt (Waterbury).

Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Kathryn W. Bare, Lisa D’Angelo, Gail P. Hardy and Brett J. Salafia; Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys David Kutzner and Vincent Duva; Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy J. Sugrue, Legislative Liaison Anne Cournoyer, Manager of Research and Planning Kyle Baudoin, Chief Inspector Michael Sullivan, and Marisa DePhillips, Executive Secretary to the Chief State’s Attorney.

State’s Attorney Applegate moved to accept the minutes of the March 6, 2024 meeting. State’s Attorney Ferencek seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said there was nothing new to report regarding ongoing budget discussions at the legislature and that the next Criminal Justice Commission meeting would be held on May 2, 2024.

Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Hardy reported that the Division’s summer legal interns would begin working on May 31, 2024. She said the Division will provide an orientation program for the interns.

Regarding training, Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo said about 200 officers from around the state attended a March training session with presentations by State’s Attorney Shannon, State’s Attorney Applegate and State’s Attorney Narducci. The Division’s search-and-seizure training program will begin on April 23, 2024 at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and there will be annual training for all prosecutors in June.

Legislative Liaison Cournoyer said the Division submitted testimony and/or testified on behalf of 21 bills during the latest legislative session. Notable bills that passed out of committees included legislation regarding internet crimes, standing criminal protective orders, electronic warrants and landlord accountability, she said. The Division also submitted language for proposed hate crimes legislation that would allow communities to provide victim-impact statements. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin noted that in response to the Aging Committee’s recommendation that the Division create a standalone elder abuse unit, the Division suggested an alternative financial crimes unit in collaboration with the Connecticut State Police and federal authorities. Discussions about a prospective financial crimes unit are currently ongoing. 

In other business, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Sugrue discussed State v. Daniel W.E. with the State’s Attorneys and State’s Attorney Gailor reported that the DNA Data Bank Oversight Committee recently discussed the status of samples of persons who received pardons.

At 1:50 p.m., Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto made a motion to go into executive session. The motion was seconded by Chief State’s Attorney Griffin and it passed unanimously.

The executive session ended at 2:30 p.m. Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto announced that no motions were made or votes taken during the executive session.

There being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto and seconded by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Lawlor. The meeting was adjourned at 2:31 p.m.