Chief State’s Attorney Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of May 3, 2023

The meeting was called to order at 12:43 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, 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), 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), Maureen T. Platt (Waterbury), and Anne F. Mahoney (Windham).

Also Present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Lisa M. D’Angelo, Gail P. Hardy and Brett Salafia, Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys David Kutzner and Vincent Duva, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy J. Sugrue, 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 April 5, 2023 meeting. State’s Attorney Mahoney seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin reported that Anne Cournoyer, Legislative Liaison, was at the Capitol regarding legislative matters. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin and Manager of Research and Planning Kyle Baudoin provided an update on efforts in each Judicial District to address pending cases that carry a charge of illegal possession of a cannabis-type substance pursuant to Section 21a-279(a)(1) or 21a-279a, work that resulted in about 1,700 cases being nolled or dismissed.

Regarding the budget, Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said though the Appropriations Committee did not accept the Division’s funding requests, the Division is still hopeful that before the end of the legislative session, there would be funding approved for Early Screening and Intervention Programs in all 13 Judicial Districts.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported that the next meeting of the Criminal Justice Commission would be on May 15. At that time, he said, the Commission could potentially conduct 16 interviews for seven Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney positions in an effort to fill Division-wide vacancies.

Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo provided an update on summer interns saying there would be an orientation at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in Rocky Hill on May 31. Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo provided an update on recent training being held at the Division, including the recent Deputy Assistant State’s Attorneys Boot Camp 2 that included a tour of correctional facilities, input from probation officers and mock court hearings. She said the next Deputy Assistant State’s Attorneys Boot Camp would be held in the fall. In addition, Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo reported on the Division’s participation in the recent Fairfield County Detective School, the Division’s inaugural summer camp for young people and Division-wide training in June. In the fall, she said, the Division is planning 20 hours of search-and-seizure training and the 2023 John M. Bailey Seminar, an annual review of legal developments that impact police policies and practices in Connecticut, for law enforcement. 

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin reported on the status of the Division’s new prosecutorial standards, saying that he recently met with union members to discuss the standards and all agreed on making minor changes to the proposed language in the standards. Discussion of the standards is expected to take place at the Division-wide training in June.

In other business, Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Salafia and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Kutzner discussed the state library’s schedule for the retention and destruction of criminal files. Also, Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said there would be another meeting in May of the Division’s Community Engagement Board and an upcoming Project Longevity gun violence symposium.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin congratulated State’s Attorney Gedansky and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Kutzner for the recent recognition they received from the Connecticut Criminal Justice Educational and Charitable Association, Inc. State’s Attorney Gedansky will receive the Oliver Ellsworth Prosecutor of the Year award and Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Kutzner will receive a Special Recognition award at the organization’s June 8 Scholarship and Awards Dinner.

There being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by State’s Attorney Walcott and seconded by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto. The meeting was adjourned at 2:05 p.m.