State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title54 > Chap961 > Sec54-102pp

      Sec. 54-102pp. Review of wrongful convictions. (a) The Chief Court Administrator shall establish an advisory commission to review any criminal or juvenile case involving a wrongful conviction and recommend reforms to lessen the likelihood of a similar wrongful conviction occurring in the future. The advisory commission shall consist of the Chief State's Attorney, the Chief Public Defender and the Victim Advocate, or their designees, a representative from the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, a representative from the Connecticut Bar Association, and representatives from one or more law schools in this state and one or more institutions of higher education in this state that offer undergraduate programs in criminal justice and forensic science.

      (b) Whenever a person who has been convicted of a crime is subsequently determined to be innocent of such crime and exonerated, the advisory commission may conduct an investigation to determine the cause or causes of the wrongful conviction. Such investigation shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of the nature and circumstances of the crime, the background, character and history of the defendant, and the manner in which the investigation, evidence collection, prosecution, defense and trial of the case was conducted. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes concerning the confidentiality, erasure or destruction of records, the advisory commission shall have access to all police and court records and records of any prosecuting attorney pertaining to the case under investigation. The advisory commission shall not further disclose such records.

      (c) Upon the conclusion of its investigation, the advisory commission shall report its findings and any recommendations it may have for reforms to lessen the likelihood of similar wrongful convictions occurring in the future to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly on the judiciary, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, and to other interested persons as deemed appropriate including the Chief Court Administrator, the Chief State's Attorney, the Chief Public Defender, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the chief of any local police department involved in the investigation of the case.

      (P.A. 03-242, S. 8.)