The Honorable Andrew J. McDonald, Chair of the Criminal Justice Commission, announced today that the Commission has appointed Christian M. Watson as State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain and John P. Doyle, Jr. as State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Haven.
Attorney Watson was appointed to succeed Brian W. Preleski, who served as State’s Attorney from 2011 until his appointment earlier this year as a Judge of the Superior Court. State’s Attorney Watson will serve a full, new eight-year term, as former State’s Attorney Preleski’s term was going to end on June 30, 2022.
The appointment was approved unanimously at the Commission’s public meeting today at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
The State’s Attorney is the chief law enforcement officer for the Judicial District of New Britain, which includes the cities of New Britain and Bristol and eight surrounding communities. The New Britain State’s Attorney is responsible for the supervision of the prosecutors’ offices at the Part A Judicial District Superior Court in New Britain, G.A. No. 15, New Britain, and the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters and Housing sessions at New Britain.
Attorney Doyle was appointed to succeed Patrick J. Griffin, who was recently appointed Chief State’s Attorney by the Commission. State’s Attorney Doyle will complete the remainder of the eight-year term, which expires on June 30, 2025.
The appointment was approved unanimously at the Commission’s public meeting today at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
The New Haven State’s Attorney oversees prosecution at New Haven Superior Court, New Haven Superior Court G.A. No. 23, Meriden Superior Court G.A. No. 7, and Juvenile Matters and Housing Matters in New Haven.
“The Commission congratulates Attorneys Doyle and Watson on their appointments as State’s Attorneys,” Justice McDonald said. “We are confident they will serve in the great tradition of the former State’s Attorneys in the New Haven and New Britain Judicial Districts. On behalf of the Commission, I wish them the very best as the Division moves forward to address important issues facing the criminal justice system today.”
Attorney Watson began his legal career with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in 2001 and later served as a prosecutor for the Division of Criminal Justice for six years before working in private practice. After two years in private practice, he went back to public service and joined the New Britain State’s Attorney’s Office in 2010 where he was promoted to Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney in 2016. Attorney Watson earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Rhode Island and his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Attorney Doyle joined the Division of Criminal Justice in 1998. For 22 years, he served as a prosecutor in the Judicial District of New Haven before accepting a position as an Executive Assistant State’s Attorney in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in March 2020. Attorney Doyle earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, and his Juris Doctor Degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law. Since 2001, he has been an adjunct instructor at Quinnipiac University.
Established under Article XXIII of the Connecticut Constitution, the Criminal Justice Commission is responsible for the appointment of all state prosecutors in Connecticut. In addition to Justice McDonald, Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, its membership includes Appellate Court Judge Melanie L. Cradle, attorneys Reginald Dwayne Betts, Robert M. Berke, Scott J. Murphy, Moy N. Ogilvie and Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin.