Chief State’s Attorney’s Meeting
Minutes of the Meeting of January 13, 2014
Office of the Chief State’s Attorney
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
The meeting was called to order at 12:42 p.m. by Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane.
In attendance were: State’s Attorneys David I. Cohen (Stamford-Norwalk), Patricia M. Froehlich (Windham), Matthew C. Gedansky (Tolland), Gail P. Hardy (Hartford), Kevin D. Lawlor (Ansonia-Milford), Peter A. McShane (Middlesex), Maureen Platt (Waterbury), Brian Preleski (New Britain), Michael L. Regan (New London), Stephen J. Sedensky III (Danbury), David Shepack (Litchfield) and John Smriga (Fairfield); and Deputy Chief State’s Attorneys Leonard C. Boyle and John J. Russotto.
Also present: Executive Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Austin, Jr., and Michael A. Gailor and Division of Criminal Justice Communications and Legislative Specialist Mark A. Dupuis.
State’s Attorney Cohen made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2013, meeting. The motion was seconded by State’s Attorney Lawlor and passed unanimously.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported on the status of the Division budget. Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported that the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) rejected all requests for significant additional resources for the 2014-15 fiscal year.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane reported on the Division’s preparations for the 2014 legislative session. The Chief State’s Attorney and Supervisory Juvenile Prosecutor Francis Carino will meet with the Chief Judge for Juvenile Matters to discuss possible joint legislative initiatives. Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Boyle reported that discussions are continuing with the Judicial Branch over possible reforms to the investigatory grand jury system.
State’s Attorney Froehlich reported that the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) has received funding from the United States Department of Justice to establish the National Criminal Justice Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah. First classes will be offered in March; State’s Attorneys should contact State’s Attorney Froehlich if interested in sending prosecutors. There is no cost to the state. The academy also is looking for prosecutors to serve as faculty.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane distributed a memorandum from Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Francis J. Carino (Statewide Juvenile Matters) on the inclusion of the names of juveniles in certain documents. Attorney Carino will be at the February meeting to discuss the matter.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported that the results of Attorney Carino’s assessment of each Juvenile Court prosecutor’s office will be distributed to the appropriate State’s Attorney(s).
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported that work is continuing on the development of a DCJ Code of Ethics. The restitution policy is subject to further review by the Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorneys.
Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Russotto reported that Stephen Grasso is meeting with the State’s Attorneys on records storage issues. The Office of the Chief State’s Attorney is serving as pilot location for using a private vendor for better management of the storage and retrieval of records.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane has written the Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Police Chiefs Association seeking input on possible notification procedures to implement the Division policy on matters raised in the U.S. Supreme Court Brady and Giglio decisions. The State’s Attorneys are urged to follow up with police chiefs in their Judicial Districts.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane urged the State’s Attorneys to work with police departments to assure collection of data required under legislation concerning the eyewitness identification procedures utilized by law enforcement. A committee established under the law reports it is not receiving much response, particularly from larger police departments.
State’s Attorney Froehlich reported on the Training Committee:
- The current plan is for the Annual Professional Development Conference for Prosecutors to include one day of training Friday, June 13, 2014, at Central Connecticut State University for all prosecutors statewide, and one day of training on June 12, 2014, in each Judicial District.
- The committee is proposing an ongoing training program of one-half day each month, except in June, for all Deputy Assistant State’s Attorneys and other prosecutors in need of the training. The programs would be conducted by the Chief State’s Attorney, Deputy Chief State’s Attorneys and State’s Attorneys at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
- The committee is considering a requirement that all newer prosecutors participate in at least one appellate proceeding and one habeas proceeding, preferably as second chair.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane recommended that each Judicial District send personnel to the “Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in Connecticut” training program at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford on January 29, 2014. The State’s Attorneys also are asked to recruit police officers to attend.
Several State’s Attorneys reported having received a letter from the Office of the Attorney General concerning the preservation of documents related to civil lawsuits challenging in the federal courts to Public Act 13-3.
Chief State’s Attorney Kane will write the Board of Pardons and Paroles to object to the Board’s failure to provide pardon applications and supporting materials to the State’s Attorneys for their response to requested pardons.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:48 p.m.