Sec. 54-102pp. Review of wrongful convictions.
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.)