Criminal Justice Commission

Minutes of Meeting
July 16, 2009

The Criminal Justice Commission met on Thursday, July 16, 2009, at the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in Rocky Hill for the purpose of interviewing six candidates for the appointment of State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield and for any other business as may come before the Commission.

The following members were present: Justice Richard N. Palmer, Chairman, Judge Thomas Bishop, Attorney Maura Horan, Attorney Ann Taylor, Attorney Alfred Turco, and Chief State's Attorney Kevin T. Kane. Affirmative Action Officer Patricia Alston was also present. No members of the public were present.

The meeting was open to the public and commenced at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Judge Bishop reported that he has spoken with Judge Harper, Susan Storey, Chief State's Attorney Kane and others about scheduling a joint training session for prosecutors and public defenders. The morning session would be a lecture on implicit bias presented by a lecturer who spoke last month to the judges at the Judges Institute. The afternoon would be open for a topic - possibly eyewitness identification. Judge Bishop suggested that the training session should be sponsored by the Criminal Justice Commission, the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Public Defenders. It can be held on April 15, 2010, at Quinnipiac University Law School where 200 people can be accommodated.

After a discussion of this topic and agreement that it is a good idea that should be pursued, Judge Bishop moved that the minutes of the Tuesday, June 9, 2009, meeting be approved. Attorney Turco seconded the motion and the minutes were unanimously approved.

The Commission then turned to the selection of State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield and interviewed, in turn, Attorn ey James G. Clark, Attorney Richard J. Colangelo, Jr., Attorney Joseph T. Corradino and Attorney Joseph James Harry.

At approximately 12:35 p.m. the Commission recessed. At approximately 12:49 p.m. the Commission resumed the meeting.

The Commission then continued interviewing for the appointment of State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield, in turn Attorney C. Robert Satti, Jr. and Attorney John C. Smriga.

The Commission then went into executive session at 2:01 p.m. on the motion of Judge Thomas Bishop and seconded by Attorney Maura Horan.

Following the executive session the Commission resumed its public meeting at approximately 2:05 p.m.

Attorney Ann Taylor moved for the appointment of Attorney John Smriga as State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Fairfield. The motion was seconded by Attorney Maura Horan. The motion passed unanimously.

At approximately 2:12 p.m. the meeting was adjourned.

Kevin T. Kane
Secretary
Criminal Justice Commission