Verdict . News

Dec 23, 2025•4 min read

•Connecticut Supreme Court ruled on whether prosecutors can cross-examine defendants about prearrest silence in murder cases

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules on Prearrest Silence in Murder Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court addressed whether prosecutors can cross-examine defendants about their failure to report self-defense claims to police before arrest. The case involved Joseph Thorpe, convicted of murder after claiming self-defense in a shooting death.

•Joseph Thorpe was convicted of murder after unsuccessfully claiming self-defense in a shooting death

Dec 23, 2025•4 min read

•Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in disciplinary case against attorney Enrico Vaccaro involving repeat violation provisions

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules in Attorney Disciplinary Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court has issued a decision in Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel v. Vaccaro, a disciplinary proceeding involving attorney Enrico Vaccaro. The case involves the application of Connecticut's repeat offender provisions for attorney discipline, which require mandatory presentment proceedings for attorneys who have been disciplined multiple times within a five-year period.

•Case involves mandatory presentment proceedings for attorneys disciplined three times within five years

Dec 16, 2025•4 min read

•Connecticut Supreme Court issued opinion in State v. Christopher Bolden involving fatal hit-and-run charges

Connecticut Supreme Court Reviews State v. Bolden Hit-and-Run Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court has issued an opinion in State v. Christopher Bolden, a criminal case involving evasion of responsibility and evidence tampering charges. The defendant was convicted after striking and killing a pedestrian with his SUV, fleeing the scene, and abandoning the vehicle.

•Defendant convicted of evasion of responsibility and tampering with physical evidence after striking and killing pedestrian

•Connecticut Supreme Court addressed confrontation clause violations in murder case involving gunshot residue testimony

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules on Confrontation Rights in State v. Bester

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a decision in State v. Damond Bester, addressing constitutional confrontation clause violations in a murder case involving gunshot residue testimony and prosecutorial conduct during cross-examination.

•Defendant challenged expert testimony based on another analyst's work who did not testify at trial

•Justice D'Auria dissented from majority decision reversing Appellate Court in pension case

Connecticut Supreme Court Split on Groton Pension Case Decision

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a divided decision in Duso v. Groton, with Justice D'Auria filing a dissenting opinion that would have affirmed the Appellate Court's judgment. The case centers on interpretation of ambiguous language in a 2008 pension agreement affecting third-party beneficiaries.

•Disagreement centers on whether 2008 pension agreement language is ambiguous

•Connecticut Supreme Court decided appeal in sexual assault case involving minor victim

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules in State v. Giovanni D. Sex Abuse Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued an opinion in State v. Giovanni D., a criminal case involving convictions for sexual assault in the first degree, risk of injury to a child, and aggravated sexual assault of a minor. The defendant appealed, challenging the trial court's admission of statements from a forensic interview under hearsay exceptions.

•Defendant challenged admission of forensic interview statements as hearsay evidence

•Connecticut Supreme Court ruled on Miranda rights in sexual assault case involving five-year-old victim

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules on Miranda Rights in Child Abuse Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a decision in State v. Lazaro C.-D., addressing whether police properly advised a defendant of his Miranda rights during questioning about sexual assault charges involving a five-year-old victim. The defendant had challenged the admissibility of his statements to detectives.

•Defendant challenged denial of motion to suppress statements made during police station interview

Oct 7, 2025•4 min read

•Connecticut Supreme Court splits on constitutionality of warrantless DNA collection from discarded items

Connecticut Supreme Court Splits on DNA Collection in State v. Sharpe

The Connecticut Supreme Court issued a divided opinion in State v. Sharpe, with Justices D'Auria and Ecker filing a partial concurrence and dissent challenging the constitutionality of warrantless DNA collection from discarded items.

•Justices D'Auria and Ecker dissent from majority's approval of DNA evidence gathering methods

Oct 7, 2025•4 min read

•Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed Michael Sharpe's kidnapping convictions in four 1984 cold cases

Connecticut Supreme Court Upholds Conviction in 1984 Cold Case

The Connecticut Supreme Court has affirmed the kidnapping convictions of Michael Sharpe in a decades-old cold case involving four separate incidents from 1984. The case was solved using DNA evidence collected from the defendant's discarded trash in 2020.

•Case was solved in 2020 using DNA evidence from a belt found in defendant's discarded trash