Chief State's Attorney's Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of May 23, 2011

Office of the Chief State's Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut

The meeting was called to order at 12:50 p.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane

Also in attendance were: Deputy Chief State’s Attorneys Leonard C. Boyle (Operations) and John J. Russotto (Personnel, Finance and Administration); State’s Attorneys David I. Cohen (Stamford-Norwalk), Patricia M. Froehlich (Windham), Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia-Milford), Timothy J. Liston (Middlesex), Scott J. Murphy (New Britain), Michael L. Regan (New London), Steven Sedensky (Danbury), and John C. Smriga (Fairfield); and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys Dawn Gallo (Litchfield), Dennis J. O’Connor (Hartford) and John Waddock (New Haven). Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Boyle was also present in his capacity as acting State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Waterbury.

Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Austin, Jr., and Michael Gailor, Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Communications Officer Mark A. Dupuis, and guest Dr. Susan S. Williams, M.D., Associate Medical Examiner, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).

Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported that the newly appointed members of the Criminal Justice Commission held their first meeting. The Commission expressed a desire to attend the Chief State’s Attorney’s meeting in July to address diversity issues.

State’s Attorney Smriga made a motion to accept the minutes of the April 18, 2011, meeting. The motion was seconded by State’s Attorney Froehlich and passed unanimously.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto distributed a synopsis prepared by the state Office of Labor Relations outlining the tentative agreement between the Malloy administration and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC). The expectation is that the non-bargaining unit employees will be subjected to the same provisions as in the tentative SEBAC agreement. The only significant issue remaining to be negotiated with bargaining units is longevity payments.

Chief State’s Attorney Kane introduced guest Dr. Susan S. Williams, who led a discussion of the process employed by the OCME for the investigation of sudden unexplained infant deaths, including on-site re-enactments conducted by OCME medical investigators. OCME will outline in writing to the Chief State’s Attorney the procedure and statutory authority for such investigations. The letter will be distributed to the State’s Attorneys, who will designate a contact for OCME to utilize in each Judicial District when undertaking investigations of sudden unexplained infant deaths.

Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported on letters exchanged between the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and Michelle Cruz, the state Victim Advocate, regarding Public Act 10-42, “An Act Concerning Notification of Peace Officers Who Have Been Assaulted Prior to the Court Sentencing or Accepting a Plea Agreement of the Defendant.”

State’s Attorney Froehlich distributed a one-page “News Brief” prepared by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) announcing the reinstatement of the Fatality Review Team for domestic violence homicides and in murder-suicide cases.

Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported on the status of legislation before the General Assembly affecting the Division of Criminal Justice and the criminal justice system. A revised draft of “An Act Concerning Habeas Corpus Reform” has been distributed to the State’s Attorneys.

Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto distributed reports listing training taken by all prosecutors as reported to the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney for the current year. The annual training program for prosecutors will be held June 16-17, 2011, in Cromwell. The agenda includes a leadership “brainstorming session” for the State’s Attorneys on the role of the Chief State’s Attorney and the State’s Attorneys and mission of the Division of Criminal Justice.

State’s Attorney Sedensky reported that the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children has recommended a redistribution of funds for the Multi-Disciplinary Teams that investigate child abuse cases. State’s Attorney Sedensky distributed copies of a law review article posted by the National Child Abuse Training Center on the process used for forensic interviews in child abuse cases.

Executive Assistant State’s Attorney Gailor reported on the development of a computer program that will be utilized by numerous police departments for identification photo arrays.

Congratulations and appreciation was expressed to Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney O’Connor on his retirement from state service.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m.