Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of September 12, 2022

The meeting was called to order at 12:50 p.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), 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 Platt (Waterbury), and Anne F. Mahoney (Windham).

Also Present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Lisa D’Angelo, Gail P. Hardy and Brett Salafia, Chief Inspectors Frederick P. Haddad Jr. and Michael P. Sullivan, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney David Kutzner, Acting Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy J. Sugrue and Manager of Research and Planning Kyle Baudoin.

State’s Attorney Narducci moved to accept the minutes of the August 1, 2022 meeting. State’s Attorney Gailor seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 State’s Attorney Maureen Platt reported on the work of the Operations Committee regarding Case Management System Entry of Warrants and/or Orders. Chief State’s Attorney Griffin thanked members of the Operations Committee for their work on the Case Management System Entry policy and a worksheet that will facilitate progress in the use of the system. Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said the Division is working with a vendor on the creation of a form for the Judicial Districts to use for the case management system data entry. State’s Attorney Corradino made a motion to accept the policy and form. State’s Attorney Platt seconded the motion and it passed on a voice vote.

State’s Attorney Platt then discussed the creation of the CryptoCurrency Investigations and Seizures policy developed by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Lawlor and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Lou Luba. Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Kevin made a motion to accept the policy as a guide. State’s Attorney Corradino seconded the motion and it passed on a voice vote.

The State’s Attorneys discussed Jailhouse Witness Analysis Forms and Cooperating Witness Tracking Forms to be used by the Division and whether the forms should be combined into one document. It was decided that edits were needed on the forms and the topic would be revisited at a later date.

The State’s Attorneys discussed whether infractions should continue to be centralized at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney or handled in the individual Judicial Districts. The Judicial Branch is currently holding the infractions hearings virtually so it was decided that there needs to be a determination by Judge Patrick L. Carroll III, Chief Court Administrator, about how infractions will continue to be adjudicated.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto said the Criminal Justice Commission would be holding two meetings per month remotely in September and October for interviews of Deputy Assistant State’s Attorneys in the Judicial Districts of Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford and Windham, and tentatively in October for Litchfield, New London and Tolland.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported no significant developments at the Division due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo reported that the Division would be holding the 2022 John M. Bailey Seminar on September 16 for law enforcement officials. The seminar on case law and legislative updates will include such topics as witness protection, cell phone extractions, internet crimes against children and a review of new provisions in Connecticut’s “Red Flag” law. Executive Assistant State’s Attorney D’Angelo also reported that there would be virtual training for all prosecutors and staff on September 22 and would include presentations on ethics, prosecutorial impropriety, and the prosecution’s disclosure obligations in criminal cases. Additionally, there will be training in October and a “boot camp” for Deputy Assistant State’s Attorneys at the end of the year. The Division is working with a vendor on creating online training forms that should be available at the start of 2023.

 In regard to the budget, Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported the hiring of Valerie Clark as the Division’s new Finance Director after several months of the position being vacant. He said the Finance Department recently filed the Division’s electronic budget that seeks 31 positions to review body-worn and dashboard camera footage and additional clerical staff to help the Division comply with the mandates of Public Act 19-59.

Chief State’s Attorney Griffin reported that the Division has hired Anne Cournoyer, a former warden and legislative liaison for the state Department or Correction, as a rehired retiree to assist with legislative matters in the next Legislative Session. The Division is planning more proactive legislative analysis and a Legislative Committee meeting will be held in October to discuss proposed legislation.

Under New Business, the State’s Attorneys agreed to move the Chief State’s Attorney/DCJ Advisory Board meetings to the first Wednesday of the month instead of the first Monday of the month.

Chief State’s Attorney reported that U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery has requested to address the State’s Attorneys in an upcoming Chief State’s Attorneys meeting. State’s Attorney Gailor reported that he wanted to discuss at an upcoming meeting a Middletown Police Department program on the presentation of digital evidence.

The State’s Attorneys briefly discussed three proposals the Sentencing Commission is considering regarding the bond process and prosecutorial discretion and the level of activity in the Judicial Districts in regard to risk warrants.

Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Kutzner reported that the Division is working on establishing Connecticut prosecutorial standards by the end of the year, referencing standards already set by the National District Attorneys Association and the American Bar Association as a guide.

There being no further business, State’s Attorney Narducci made a motion to adjourn. State’s Attorney Doyle seconded the motion and it passed without opposition. The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 p.m.