Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting
Minutes of the Meeting of March 17, 2014
Office of the Chief State’s Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
The meeting was called to order at 12:40 p.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane.
In attendance were: State’s Attorneys David I. Cohen (Stamford-Norwalk), Michael Dearington (New Haven); Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Gail P. Hardy (Hartford), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia-Milford), Peter A. McShane (Middlesex), Maureen Platt (Waterbury), Brian Preleski (New Britain); Michael L. Regan (New London), Stephen J. Sedensky III (Danbury) and David Shepack (Litchfield); Deputy Chief State’s Attorney John J. Russotto; and Supervisory Assistant State’s Susann Gill (Fairfield).
Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Austin, Jr., and Michael A. Gailor and Division of Criminal Justice Communications and Legislative Specialist Mark A. Dupuis.
State’s Attorney Lawlor made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 10, 2014, meeting. The motion was seconded by State’s Attorney Platt and passed unanimously.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported on the status of the discussions with the General Assembly concerning the 2014-15 Division budget.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported on the status of the Division’s legislative proposals for the current session of the General Assembly.
State’s Attorney Platt reported that she is requesting funding to install a system for the recording of statements taken at the State’s Attorney’s office in accordance with Section 54-1o of the General Statutes. The State’s Attorneys are asked to notify Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto as to their needs and space availability for recording equipment. The Division will inquire as to whether funding is available through the Office of Policy and Management, which provided funds for municipal and state police equipment. The State’s Attorneys are asked to monitor the impact of complying with section 54-1o.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane distributed a memo from Guy Vallaro, Director of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Forensic Science Laboratory, regarding the status of evidence in certain cases.
State’s Attorney Platt recommended that municipal police chiefs be informed that evidence collection kits in sexual assault investigations should be submitted promptly to the Forensic Science Laboratory.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto asked the State’s Attorneys to submit any needs they may have for assistance in setting up local training for the June 12, 2014, first day of the Annual Professional Development Conference for Prosecutors. The second day will include an ethics presentation in the morning and legislative and legal updates in the afternoon. Volunteers are needed for a panel discussion on ethics.
Due to the absence of State’s Attorney John C. Smriga (Fairfield) a discussion of Project Longevity was tabled until the next meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:18 p.m. on a motion by State’s Attorney Cohen, seconded by State’s Attorney Sedensky and passed without opposition.