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Connecticut Supreme Court Announces Teague’s ‘Watershed’ Rule Exception to Nonretroactivity of New Constitutional Rule of Criminal Procedure on Collateral Review Has ‘Continued Vitality’ in Connecticu...

Article • April 15, 2025 • from CLN May, 2025

Filed under: Retroactivity, Criminal Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Eyewitness Identification

Connecticut Supreme Court Announces Teague’s ‘Watershed’ Rule Exception to Nonretroactivity of New Constitutional Rule of Criminal Procedure on Collateral Review Has ‘Continued Vitality’ in Connecticut, Adoption of Third Exception to Teague’s Nonretroacti by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Supreme Court of Connecticut held that the principles set forth in …

Connecticut Compensates Exonerated Prisoners, Reforms Policing

Article • April 15, 2025 • from CLN May, 2025

Filed under: Police Misconduct, Settlements, Wrongful Conviction

Connecticut Compensates Exonerated Prisoners, Reforms Policing by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott Connecticut is confronting its history of wrongful convictions by compensating victims and reforming police procedures. The state has moved to award $37.6 million to eight wrongfully convicted men who collectively spent 151 years behind bars. The …

News in Brief

Article • February 15, 2025 • from CLN March, 2025

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alaska: In a rare move, federal prosecutors asked an Alaska judge to vacate the 2019 assault conviction of long-time felon Johnny-Lee Preston Burk, citing a concealed relationship between the presiding judge and a prosecutor in the case. The Alaska Beacon reported that United States District Judge …

Second Circuit: Money Concealment Guilty Plea Vacated for Lack of Evidence to Support Factual Finding of Required Mens Rea

Article • January 15, 2024 • from CLN January, 2024

Filed under: Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas, Offense of Conviction, Acceptance/Rejection by the Court, Validity of

Second Circuit: Money Concealment Guilty Plea Vacated for Lack of Evidence to Support Factual Finding of Required Mens Rea by David Reutter by David M. Reutter The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated a defendant’s conviction because the required mens rea for concealment money launderingwas not supported …

News in Brief

Article • November 1, 2023 • from CLN November, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alabama: According to The New York Times, the most notable sack and fumble of the Jefferson County high school football game on September 14, 2023, came after the game ended and the police were in the process of clearing the stadium. In the tradition of historically …

News in Brief

Article • October 1, 2023 • from CLN October, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Arizona: According to information attained by Hatewatch, the leader of the extremist Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association emailed a video regarding an investigation into his son which could potentially cause the father to be prosecuted. Richard Mack sent a video of his son’s alleged child …

Clark v. Quiros, CT, Memorandum of Decision on Cross Motions for Summary Judgment, Transgender-Failure to Provide Care, 2023

Brief • September 15, 2023

Filed under: Transgender, Transgender Medical Procedures

Clark v. Quiros, CT, Memorandum of Decision on Cross Motions for Summary Judgment, Transgender-Failure to Provide Care, 2023 Case 3:19-cv-00575-VLB Document 194 Filed 09/15/23 Page 1 of 73 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT VERONICA-MAY (Neé Nicholas) Clark Plaintiff, v. ANGEL QUIROS, DR. GERALD VALLETTA, RICHARD BUSH, AND BARBARA …

Cox v. City of New Haven, CT ,Settlement, Excessive Force, 2023

Brief • August 9, 2023

Filed under: Excessive Force

Cox v. City of New Haven, CT ,Settlement, Excessive Force, 2023 SETTLEME NT AGREEMEN T AND RELEASE This Settlement Agreement and Release (the "Settlement Agreement") is made and entered 9th August, _ _ _ __, by and between: _ _2023 _ _ _ _ _ day of _ into this …

Birch v. Town of New Milford, CT, Ruling and Order on Motiion for Summary Judgment, Fabrication of Evidence, 2023

Brief • July 21, 2023

Filed under: Fabrication of Evidence

Birch v. Town of New Milford, CT, Ruling and Order on Motiion for Summary Judgment, Fabrication of Evidence, 2023 Case 3:20-cv-01790-VAB Document 161 Filed 07/21/23 Page 1 of 84 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT RALTH BIRCH AND SHAWN HENNING, Plaintiffs, v. No. 3:20-cv-1790 (VAB) [rel. No. 3:20-cv-1792 (VAB)] …

News in Brief

Article • January 15, 2023 • from CLN February, 2023

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alabama: WBMA in Birmingham reported that a former probation officer in Fayette County was convicted of sexual misconduct on Dec. 8, 2022. The former officer, Michael Steven Painter, 51, was found guilty on charges of using his office for personal gain and custodial sexual misconduct — …

Connecticut Supreme Court Announces ‘John Doe’ Warrant Based on Suspect’s General Description and Partial DNA Profiles, Which May or May Not Include Suspect’s DNA, Fails to Satisfy ‘Particularity Requ...

Article • January 15, 2023 • from CLN February, 2023

Filed under: DNA Testing/Samples, Arrest Warrants, Fourth Amendment

Connecticut Supreme Court Announces ‘John Doe’ Warrant Based on Suspect’s General Description and Partial DNA Profiles, Which May or May Not Include Suspect’s DNA, Fails to Satisfy ‘Particularity Requirement’ of Fourth Amendment by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney In an issue of first impression with potentially nationwide implications, the Supreme …

Cox v. City of New Haven, CT, Complaint, Excessive Force, 2023

Brief • January 6, 2023

Filed under: Excessive Force

Cox v. City of New Haven, CT, Complaint, Excessive Force, 2023 Case 3:22-cv-01209-MPS Document 44-1 Filed 01/06/23 Page 1 of 30 E X H IB IT A Case 3:22-cv-01209-MPS Document 44-1 Filed 01/06/23 Page 2 of 30 Case 3:22-cv-01209-JBA Document 1 Filed 09/27/22 Page 1 of 29 UNITED STATES DISTRICT …

Connecticut Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts, Prospectively, Must Canvass Defendants Who Seek to Waive Right to Testify to Ensure Waiver Is Made Knowingly, Intelligently, and Voluntarily

Article • August 15, 2022 • from CLN September, 2022

Filed under: Knowingly and Intelligently, Defendant's Right to Testify

Connecticut Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts, Prospectively, Must Canvass Defendants Who Seek to Waive Right to Testify to Ensure Waiver Is Made Knowingly, Intelligently, and Voluntarily by Anthony Accurso by Anthony W. Accurso In an opinion issued on May 10, 2022, the Supreme Court of Connecticut ruled that defense counsel’s …

News in Brief

Article • August 15, 2022 • from CLN September, 2022

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Canada: Techdirt reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“RCMP”), a division of that country’s federal law enforcement akin to the FBI, used malware to spy on people’s personal communications. The report came after the RCMP admitted to doing so in the summer of 2022. The …

Black Man Lies Paralyzed in Hospital Bed After Negligent Transport by Cops

Article • July 1, 2022

Filed under: Transportation, Restraints, Negligence/Reckless Endangerment

Black Man Lies Paralyzed in Hospital Bed After Negligent Transport by Cops by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott A hard stop by a police transport van snapped the neck of Richard Cox, 36, of New Haven, Connecticut, leaving him paralyzed on June 19, 2022.  Cox had been arrested …

News in Brief

Article • May 15, 2022 • from CLN June, 2022

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Connecticut: On Apr. 15, 2022, a Norwalk police officer of 10 years was arrested of assaulting a family member. WVIT, a news channel serving New Britain, reports that officer Jermaine Nash, 44, was arrested after a call was made to police in the mid-afternoon of the …

State of Connecticut Substitute Senate Bill No. 459-Public Act No. 22-18 (Isolated Confinement), 2022

Publication • May 10, 2022

Filed under: Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement

State of Connecticut Substitute Senate Bill No. 459-Public Act No. 22-18 (Isolated Confinement), 2022 Substitute Senate Bill No. 459 Public Act No. 22-18 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CORRECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE USE OF ISOLATED CONFINEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR CONDITIONS OF INCARCERATION. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of …

Connecticut Supreme Court: Trial Court Abused Discretion by Limiting Self-Represented Defendant’s Direct Examination Regarding Risk of Injury to a Child

Article • May 1, 2022 • from CLN May, 2022

Filed under: Child Abuse/Abusers, Witnesses - Examination of

Connecticut Supreme Court: Trial Court Abused Discretion by Limiting Self-Represented Defendant’s Direct Examination Regarding Risk of Injury to a Child by Matthew Clarke by Matt Clarke The Supreme Court of Connecticut held that a trial court erred when it limited the testimony of a self-represented defendant in a trial for …

News in Brief

Article • March 15, 2022 • from CLN April, 2022

Filed under: News in Brief

News in Brief by Alabama: Techdirt reports that police in Brookside have routinely violated the law in traffic enforcement. By early February 2022, it was clear that the local police department in the small town had been racking up staggering amounts of income in traffic fines, receiving more than $600,000 …

Connecticut Supreme Court Overrules Aquino, Holding Appeal Not Moot Where Defendant Deported During Pendency but Unclear Whether Appealed Conviction Sole Basis for Deportation

Article • February 15, 2022 • from CLN March, 2022

Filed under: Mootness, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Deportation/Removal/Exclusion

Connecticut Supreme Court Overrules Aquino, Holding Appeal Not Moot Where Defendant Deported During Pendency but Unclear Whether Appealed Conviction Sole Basis for Deportation by Douglas Ankney Holds Model Jury Instruction 2.6-14 Failed to Correctly Inform Jury on Investigative Inadequacy by Douglas Ankney The Supreme Court of Connecticut held that Model …