Latest news with #ConnecticutSupremeCourt
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Fox News
Connecticut house of horrors stepmom whines about GPS monitor while accused of 20-year child abuse case
The woman who is accused of holding her stepson captive for 20 years in her Waterbury, Connecticut, home is appealing a judge's ruling that she must wear a GPS ankle monitor while out on bail. Attorney Ioannis Kaloidis, who represents Kimberly Sullivan, wrote in an April 7 filing that Sullivan's constitutional right to due process has been violated due to the fact that the ankle monitor was imposed as a further bail requirement after her first bail hearing. The filing says that on March 12, Waterbury Superior Court Judge Corinne Klatt ordered that bail for Sullivan be set at $300,000 with no other conditions except "intensive pre-trial supervision." "Noting the Defendant's lack of a criminal history at the age of 56, her lifelong residency in Waterbury, twelve years of education and income, the bail commissioner requested a bond in the amount of $300,000," the filing says. "The Defendant, through counsel, highlighted her work history, residency and absence of a criminal record, and argued for promise to appear with non-monetary conditions." According to the filing, when Sullivan appeared in court in front of Klatt the next day to post bail, the bail conditions remained the same despite the state asking for the GPS monitor. After that, the state filed a motion to change Sullivan's bail conditions. In a March 28 hearing on the motion argued in front of a different judge, Waterbury Superior Court Judge Joseph Schwartz, the state said Sullivan was a flight risk "because she faced significant incarceration," and that "its case had become stronger, as additional witnesses came forward," according to the filing. Eventually, Schwartz ruled that, based upon new information that Sullivan was receiving mental health treatment and that she was living with one of her stepdaughters, there was enough evidence to order her to wear the GPS monitor. However, Sullivan's lawyers said that is untrue. "The trial court's hearing on the State's motion to modify the Defendant's conditions of release did not comport with due process requirements or the procedures directed by the Connecticut Supreme Court," the filing says. "The State did not introduce, nor did the trial court find, by actual evidence, that the Defendant's then-existing conditions of release were not sufficient to ensure her presence in court or protect the safety of the Complainant or the public." Ultimately, the petition asked the Connecticut Appellate Court to vacate the March 28 decision that Sullivan must wear the GPS monitor. Pattis and Paz, LLC is the law firm handling the appeal. "We have been retained to handle a motion for bond review by Ms. Sullivan to the Connecticut Appaellate Court to address the changes made to her conditions of release following her arraignment," attorney Brittany Paz said in a statement. "In our view, there is a strong argument that the modification was made due to public attention and desire for punishment, rather than any real concern regarding her willingness to appear in court." "We further believe that the state's blatant attempt at a second bite at the apple in front of a different judge violates the principles previously set forth when our office litigated State v. Pan. We look forward to the restoration of the original conditions of Ms. Sullivan's release, based on facts and the law, while the charges pending against her are impartially litigated." According to an arrest warrant for Sullivan, her stepson, identified as "Male Victim 1," was held in a windowless 8-foot by 9-foot storage closet with no air conditioning or heat and without access to a bathroom for 20 years. He said he was kept inside the closet 22–24 hours per day. He said he was allowed two sandwiches and two small water bottles each day, one of which he would use for bathing. The man told police he disposed of his waste using water bottles and newspaper. The man weighed less than 70 pounds when first responders found him after the fire. The allegations came to light after a fire at Sullivan's home. That warrant said that Sullivan's stepson told police he set the fire on purpose because he wanted his freedom.
CBS News
11-03-2025
- CBS News
Court upholds conviction of man in murder of wife whose Fitbit exercise tracker helped crack case
Despite finding "improprieties" were committed by a prosecutor, the Connecticut Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife in a case that drew wide attention because the victim's Fitbit exercise tracker contradicted his statements to police. The justices ruled in a 6-0 decision that Richard Dabate was not deprived of a fair trial because of four missteps by the prosecutor they called "troubling," including referring to one of Connecticut's most notorious crimes while cross-examining the man. Dabate, 48, was convicted of murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of Connie Dabate, 39, at the couple's home in Ellington two days before Christmas in 2015 while their two young sons were in school. He's serving a 65-year prison sentence. Prosecutors said Dabate wanted his wife dead, in part, because he had a yearslong affair with another woman who was pregnant at the time of the killing and later gave birth to their child. Dabate allegedly told investigators his wife was unable to have another child, so the couple did some "untraditional things." He said all three planned to co-parent the child, CBS affiliate WFSB previously reported. Dabate staged a phony crime scene, including tying himself up loosely with zip ties and stabbing himself with a box cutter, and told police an unknown intruder in camouflage broke into their home, killed his wife and assaulted him, authorities said. State police said Dabate gave them a timeline of events that conflicted with data on his wife's Fitbit, which showed she was moving around for about an hour after the time Dabate said she was shot. Dabate testified in his defense and maintained his innocence, saying a large masked man with a voice like actor Vin Diesel was the killer. Part of Dabate's appeal questioned the reliability of the Fitbit evidence and whether the trial judge was wrong to have allowed it, but the Supreme Court upheld the data and its use. During the trial, Dabate's lawyer, Trent LaLima, also pointed to unknown DNA that was found in the Dabate's home, including on the gun that killed Connie, and testimony from a house cleaner, who said they may have seen a dark green figure move past the window around the time of the crime. Dabate also accused Tolland State's Attorney Matthew Gedansky of multiple instances of impropriety, including Gedansky mentioning a notorious home invasion in Cheshire in 2007 while cross-examining Dabate. The home invaders killed a woman and her two daughters, ages 11 and 17, after terrorizing them for hours, while the woman's husband survived a vicious beating. Gedansky asked Dabate if he was trying to create a "little mini-Cheshire scene" in his own home. The trial judge upheld an objection by Dabate's lawyer and asked Gedansky to rephrase the question, but Gedansky asked nearly the same exact question. The Supreme Court found Gedansky violated the judge's order to rephrase. "In referring to a 'mini Cheshire,' the prosecutor's question was unnecessarily inflammatory because it compared the defendant to other notorious offenders or infamous figures," Justice Joan Alexander wrote in the decision. Gedansky did not immediately return an email message seeking comment Monday. LaLima, Dabate's lawyer, said he and his client were disappointed with the court's ruling. "We believe we put forward strong issues supporting a new trial for Rick Dabate," LaLima wrote in an email to The Associated Press. "We are evaluating the best next steps for Rick, who has steadfastly maintained his innocence for nearly a decade." The Supreme Court also found that Gedansky committed three other improprieties, including suggesting that the jury would have to be unintelligent or lazy to agree with the defense theory of the case. "We disapprove of the improprieties committed by the prosecutor during the trial of this case in strong and unqualified terms and expect our message to be taken with the utmost seriousness by prosecutors," the decision said. The court said it agreed with Dabate that "the prosecutor engaged in multiple acts of impropriety at trial that we consider troubling." Justices, however, said the state's case was very strong and Gedansky's missteps did not overshadow testimony by 130 witnesses and the 600 exhibits presented during the five-week trial. In 2017, Connie Dabate's sister filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Richard Dabate. Marliese Shaw, the executor of Connie Dabate's estate, also asked a probate judge to order that Richard Dabate return more than $70,000 taken from his wife's estate after she died.
Washington Post
10-03-2025
- Washington Post
Court upholds conviction in Fitbit murder case despite missteps by prosecutor
HARTFORD, Conn. — Despite finding 'improprieties' were committed by a prosecutor, the Connecticut Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife in a case that drew wide attention because the victim's Fitbit exercise tracker contradicted his statements to police. The justices ruled in a 6-0 decision that Richard Dabate was not deprived of a fair trial because of four missteps by the prosecutor they called 'troubling,' including referring to one of Connecticut's most notorious crimes while cross-examining the man.
The Independent
10-03-2025
- The Independent
Court upholds murder conviction in Fitbit murder case despite missteps by prosecutor
Despite finding 'improprieties' were committed by a prosecutor, the Connecticut Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife in a case that drew wide attention because the victim's Fitbit exercise tracker contradicted his statements to police. The justices ruled in a 6-0 decision that Richard Dabate was not deprived of a fair trial because of four missteps by the prosecutor they called 'troubling,' including referring to one of Connecticut's most notorious crimes while cross-examining the man. Dabate, 48, was convicted of murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of Connie Dabate, 39, at the couple's home in Ellington two days before Christmas in 2015 while their two young sons were in school. He's serving a 65-year prison sentence. Prosecutors said Dabate wanted his wife dead, in part, because he had a yearslong affair with another woman who was pregnant at the time of the killing and later gave birth to their child. Dabate staged a phony crime scene, including tying himself up loosely with zip ties and stabbing himself with a box cutter, and told police an unknown intruder in camouflage broke into their home, killed his wife and assaulted him, authorities said. State police said Dabate gave them a timeline of events that conflicted with data on his wife's Fitbit, which showed she was moving around for about an hour after the time Dabate said she was shot. Dabate testified in his defense and maintained his innocence, saying a large masked man with a voice like actor Vin Diesel was the killer. Part of Dabate's appeal questioned the reliability of the Fitbit evidence and whether the trial judge was wrong to have allowed it, but the Supreme Court upheld the data and its use. Dabate also accused Tolland State's Attorney Matthew Gedansky of multiple instances of impropriety, including Gedansky mentioning a notorious home invasion in Cheshire in 2007 while cross-examining Dabate. The home invaders killed a woman and her two daughters, ages 11 and 17, after terrorizing them for hours, while the woman's husband survived a vicious beating. Gedansky asked Dabate if he was trying to create a 'little mini-Cheshire scene' in his own home. The trial judge upheld an objection by Dabate's lawyer and asked Gedansky to rephrase the question, but Gedansky asked nearly the same exact question. The Supreme Court found Gedansky violated the judge's order to rephrase. 'In referring to a 'mini Cheshire,' the prosecutor's question was unnecessarily inflammatory because it compared the defendant to other notorious offenders or infamous figures,' Justice Joan Alexander wrote in the decision. Gedansky and Dabate's lawyer, Trent LaLima, did not immediately return email messages seeking comment Monday. The Supreme Court also found that Gedansky committed three other improprieties, including suggesting that the jury would have to be unintelligent or lazy to agree with the defense theory of the case. 'We disapprove of the improprieties committed by the prosecutor during the trial of this case in strong and unqualified terms and expect our message to be taken with the utmost seriousness by prosecutors,' the decision said. The court said it agreed with Dabate that 'the prosecutor engaged in multiple acts of impropriety at trial that we consider troubling.' Justices, however, said the state's case was very strong and Gedansky's missteps did not overshadow testimony by 130 witnesses and the 600 exhibits presented during the five-week trial.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Court upholds murder conviction in Fitbit murder case despite missteps by prosecutor
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Despite finding 'improprieties' were committed by a prosecutor, the Connecticut Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a man found guilty of killing his wife in a case that drew wide attention because the victim's Fitbit exercise tracker contradicted his statements to police. The justices ruled in a 6-0 decision that Richard Dabate was not deprived of a fair trial because of four missteps by the prosecutor they called 'troubling,' including referring to one of Connecticut's most notorious crimes while cross-examining the man. Dabate, 48, was convicted of murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of Connie Dabate, 39, at the couple's home in Ellington two days before Christmas in 2015 while their two young sons were in school. He's serving a 65-year prison sentence. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Prosecutors said Dabate wanted his wife dead, in part, because he had a yearslong affair with another woman who was pregnant at the time of the killing and later gave birth to their child. Dabate staged a phony crime scene, including tying himself up loosely with zip ties and stabbing himself with a box cutter, and told police an unknown intruder in camouflage broke into their home, killed his wife and assaulted him, authorities said. State police said Dabate gave them a timeline of events that conflicted with data on his wife's Fitbit, which showed she was moving around for about an hour after the time Dabate said she was shot. Dabate testified in his defense and maintained his innocence, saying a large masked man with a voice like actor Vin Diesel was the killer. Part of Dabate's appeal questioned the reliability of the Fitbit evidence and whether the trial judge was wrong to have allowed it, but the Supreme Court upheld the data and its use. Dabate also accused Tolland State's Attorney Matthew Gedansky of multiple instances of impropriety, including Gedansky mentioning a notorious home invasion in Cheshire in 2007 while cross-examining Dabate. The home invaders killed a woman and her two daughters, ages 11 and 17, after terrorizing them for hours, while the woman's husband survived a vicious beating. Gedansky asked Dabate if he was trying to create a 'little mini-Cheshire scene' in his own home. The trial judge upheld an objection by Dabate's lawyer and asked Gedansky to rephrase the question, but Gedansky asked nearly the same exact question. The Supreme Court found Gedansky violated the judge's order to rephrase. 'In referring to a 'mini Cheshire,' the prosecutor's question was unnecessarily inflammatory because it compared the defendant to other notorious offenders or infamous figures,' Justice Joan Alexander wrote in the decision. Gedansky and Dabate's lawyer, Trent LaLima, did not immediately return email messages seeking comment Monday. The Supreme Court also found that Gedansky committed three other improprieties, including suggesting that the jury would have to be unintelligent or lazy to agree with the defense theory of the case. 'We disapprove of the improprieties committed by the prosecutor during the trial of this case in strong and unqualified terms and expect our message to be taken with the utmost seriousness by prosecutors,' the decision said. The court said it agreed with Dabate that 'the prosecutor engaged in multiple acts of impropriety at trial that we consider troubling.' Justices, however, said the state's case was very strong and Gedansky's missteps did not overshadow testimony by 130 witnesses and the 600 exhibits presented during the five-week trial.
