Criminal Justice Commission
Minutes of the Meeting of June 18, 2020
The Honorable Andrew J. McDonald, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:16 a.m. In accordance with Executive Orders issued because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was conducted by electronic conference (ZOOM software). The public was provided notice of the meeting via the Division of Criminal Justice/Criminal Justice Commission website and invited to observe the proceedings and participate and/or submit public comment.
In addition to the public, participating in the meeting were: The Honorable Melanie L. Cradle, attorneys Robert Berke, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Scott Murphy and Moy Ogilvie and Chief State’s Attorney Richard J. Colangelo, Jr.
Attorney Betts moved to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting held April 30, 2020. Attorney Murphy seconded the motion and it passed by a unanimous vote.
Justice McDonald opened the public comment section of the meeting. Public comment was provided by Claudine Fox, campaign manager for the American Civil Liberties Union-Connecticut and William Ramos. Daniel Healey, who had signed up to provide public comment, was unable to do so because of technical difficulties, as was Alyssa Peterson. Larry Deutsch was not allowed to provide comment as he had not notified the Commission in advance of his request to provide comment. All three were invited to participate in the public comment portion of the Special Meeting scheduled for June 26, 2020.
Chief State’s Attorney Colangelo reported on the Division of Criminal Justice operations with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attorney Murphy moved to enter executive session for a personnel matter to review and discuss the untimely completion of reports pursuant to Section 51-277a of the General Statutes concerning investigations of the use of deadly force in the Hartford Judicial District. Attorney Ogilvie seconded the motion and it passed by a unanimous vote. The Commission resumed its public meeting at 10:03 a.m. Justice McDonald announced that no motions were made or votes taken during the executive session.
Attorney Betts moved to approve and authorize the Chair to sign, on behalf of the Commission, a stipulated personnel agreement and in the suspension period provided by the agreement, to have the Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys at Part A and Part B, Hartford, report to the Chief State’s Attorney. Attorney Murphy seconded the motion.
Justice McDonald explained the stipulated agreement with Hartford State’s Attorney Gail P. Hardy provides for a suspension without pay of four business days for State’s Attorney Hardy. The four-day suspension represents fifty percent of the eight business days remaining in State’s Attorney Hardy’s current term. Justice McDonald acknowledged receipt of a letter to the Commission from the President of the CT NAACP State Conference of NAACP Branches, President of the Greater Hartford Branch of NAACP, President and Vice President of the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and the Executive Director of the ACLU of Connecticut regarding State’s Attorney Hardy. The letter is available to the public upon request to the Division of Criminal Justice. Justice McDonald stated that the suspension addresses a significant problem, but not the overall performance of State’s Attorney Hardy, which will be addressed at the July 26, 2020, Special Meeting.
The motion was approved by a unanimous vote.
Chief State’s Attorney Colangelo moved to adjourn the meeting. Attorney Murphy seconded the motion and it passed by a unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 10:12 a.m.