FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

05/01/06                      STATE POLICE /MILFORD STATE’S ATTORNEY

                                                COMPLETE INVESTIGATION     

                                                INTO COURTROOM INCIDENT   

On May 27, 2005 Connecticut State Police responded to Superior Court GA #20 in Norwalk to investigate a disturbance that had taken place in courtroom C of the facility.

The initial investigation revealed that during open court a defendant was determined to be in contempt of court. That defendant utilized a metal file holder and attempted to throw it at the “bench”.   The Assistant State’s Attorney MICHAEL DeJOSEPH intervened in an effort to prevent the judge from being injured. The judicial marshals assigned to the courtroom security also intervened, secured the suspect and took him into custody.

State Police Troopers and State Police Major Crime Detectives initiated a criminal investigation into the entire courtroom disturbance: investigators interviewed all witnesses present in the courtroom. In addition State Police Investigators interviewed all people involved in subduing the accused and taking him into custody.

At the conclusion of this investigation all of the facts and circumstances of this entire incident were submitted to the Office of the Milford State’s Attorney for review.

A complete review of all the State Police investigative information and all witnesses statements led MARY GALVIN the Milford State’s Attorney to determine that the involvement of the Norwalk Assistant State’s Attorney MICHAEL DeJOSEPH in the courtroom did not merit criminal prosecution.  The State’s Attorney was within his right to utilize physical force to prevent the judge from being harmed.

The other person involved in this incident ANTHONY ROGERS who also used force during the altercation has received court punishment from the presiding judge. The State’s Attorney therefore ruled that additional prosecution was not warranted.

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Sgt. J. Paul Vance