Chief State’s Attorney Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of July 5, 2023

The meeting was called to order at 11:08 a.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin.

Also present: Deputy Chief State’s Attorney of Operations Kevin D. Lawlor, Deputy Chief State’s Attorney of Administration, Personnel and Finance John J. Russotto, Deputy Chief State’s Attorney, Inspector General Robert J. Devlin, Jr., State’s Attorneys Margaret E. Kelley (Ansonia/Milford), David R. Applegate (Danbury), Joseph T. Corradino (Fairfield), Sharmese L. Walcott (Hartford), David R. Shannon (Litchfield), 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), Maureen T. Platt (Waterbury), and Anne F. Mahoney (Windham).

Also Present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Lisa M. D’Angelo and Brett Salafia, Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys David Kutzner and Jason Germain, Legislative Liaison Anne Cournoyer, Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Timothy J. Sugrue and Kathryn W. Bare, Manager of Research and Planning Kyle Baudoin, and Marisa DePhillips, Executive Secretary to the Chief State’s Attorney.

State’s Attorney Doyle moved to accept the minutes of the June 7, 2023 meeting. State’s Attorney Kelley seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin reported that Legislative Liaison Cournoyer and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Kutzner are completing a report summarizing the work of the latest legislative session as it pertains to the Division. Legislative Liaison Cournoyer said the Division submitted a robust package with 11 proposals, testified in person eight times with a variety of individuals, submitted 16 written testimonies and was helpful in collaborating with other state agencies on drafting proposed legislation.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin reported that he and Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Lawlor and Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo recently attended a meeting at the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles to meet with Chairperson Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini and other officials, including legislators Rep. Craig Fishbein, Sen. John Kissel and Rep. Steven Stafstrom, to discuss changes in the board’s procedures, including regarding notifications and the release of materials to prosecutors before the hearings. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said he would like to see the changes memorialized in statute. He encouraged the State’s Attorneys to note what materials they are receiving and what may be missing, and what information is being redacted from reports. State's Attorney Corradino requested the creation of a standardized request form for consistency across the Division. Chief State's Attorney Griffin said he would ask Executive Assistant State's Attorney Bare to conduct research regarding the matter and draft a form which would then be sent to the Operations Committee for review. 

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin told State’s Attorneys that the governor had expressed his appreciation to the Division for its help in drafting recent gun legislation that ultimately became law. He said the Division would soon be holding training sessions regarding some of the more complex new gun laws, and that a meeting would be scheduled in August with the four Judicial Districts with gun prosecutors to discuss the news laws as well as to discuss consistency in how gun cases are handled.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said there was nothing new to report regarding budget matters.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto provided an update on upcoming meetings of the Criminal Justice Commission. He said the Commission would hold a meeting in July to continue its work interviewing candidates for Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney positions. He said there would not be a meeting in August.

Regarding recruitment, Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said he sent the Division’s recent press release on the Governor’s signing of Public Act 23-55 to the deans of the local law schools. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Hardy would be attending the Northeast Regional and National Black Law Students Association meeting in August.

Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo reported that the 2023 DCJ Camp Justice would be held at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney from July 24 through July 28. There were more than 50 applicants from throughout the state, with most of the students coming from the areas of Hartford, New Britain and Waterbury. Beginning July 31, Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo reported that a detective school would be held at Yale University as well as an upcoming search-and-seizure school. In addition, a one-day training session for gun prosecutors would be held in August. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin requested that the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney be notified if the Judicial Districts take action on a persistent firearms offender so there can be a determination about the success of the new gun legislation, as well as for data purposes.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said there would be a press conference on the “Moving Justice Forward” report at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in Rocky Hill on July 20.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said the new Connecticut Prosecution Standards would soon be made public and posted on the Division’s website.

Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy Sugrue provided an update on the handling of risk protection orders by conservation authorities with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

There being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Deputy Chief State’s Russotto and seconded by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Lawlor. The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.