The Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that Eddie Perez was entrusted by Hartford voters with unprecedented power as the city's first strong mayor in more than half a century. That power may have gone to his head. He turned out, sadly, to be a grifter, another politician who traded his office and his city's resources for personal and political gain. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 19, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061910_3.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant expresses the opinion that the U.S. Supreme Court's lamentable 5-4 decision last week to sweep away a century of practice and precedent and allow torrents of corporate money to flood elections threatens to make our political system even more the playground of the rich at the expense of the average citizen. Congress and President Barack Obama must do all they can to temper or reverse the baleful impact of the decision by the court's conservative majority. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 25, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/democracy/htfd_courant_012510.asp
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The majority of people in Connecticut agree that Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky - the men accused of murdering the wife and two daughters of Dr. William Petit in Cheshire and severely beating him with a baseball bat before setting the house on fire - should get the death penalty. But the most recent execution in Connecticut was in 2005. This ambivalence toward the death penalty resulted in the legislature voting last year to abolish it, with Gov. M. Jodi Rell stepping in to veto the measure. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 14, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_advocate_041410.asp
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Each year, special civilian advocates fight for the rights of thousands of abused and neglected children in Connecticut’s 13 juvenile courts. About a quarter of those cases involve Latino children or their families, officials say. Yet there are no Latino civilian advocates in Hartford juvenile court and only two statewide, both of them in New Haven. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 24, 2006
Document
Link: /issues/documents/LegalIssues/htfd_courant_112406.asp
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The city council decided recently to hire its own attorney, but not until after a nasty exchange between councilors centered on whether the council's new law firm wants to impeach Mayor Eddie A. Perez. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 14, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/cityline_041409.asp
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Connecticut's legal-aid lawyers, defenders of the poor, need a champion of their own now — as do so many agencies helping those who are down on their luck Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 29, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_courant_122908.asp
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Columnist Stan Simpson sheds light on some of ONE/CHANE's difficulties and offers suggestions to the board and executive director. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 20, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_042005.asp
Related Link(s):
North End Agency In Battle for Survival
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Community Groups Finances Investigated
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City Councilman Larry Deutsch's campaign to take a vote of no confidence in Hartford Corporation Counsel John Rose was tabled for the second city council meeting in a row recently, as Deutsch became increasingly isolated in his attempt to impose some sort of formal sanction on Rose. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 20, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_042010.asp
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It could be said that Perez's political career started on Park Street, often called the heart of the state's Latino population. And it also could be said that his political career ended here. His months-long criminal trial was launched by his relationship with contractor Carlos Costa, who, in 2003, won the bidding for the $5 million Park Street streetscape project. But some Park Street residents - and people elsewhere in the capital city - had a more complicated reaction to the news of Perez's conviction. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 19, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061910_1.asp
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With the prosecution done with its case, and the defense set to begin its presentation, the question of whether Perez will testify remains open. Lawyers Hubert Santos and Hope Seeley declined to say whether the mayor will take the stand. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 09, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060910_1.asp
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A year after she was passed over for the job of principal at Hartford's Simpson-Waverly Classical Magnet School, Jane Pertillar has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court alleging racial discrimination. In her lawsuit against the school district Pertillar demands, among other things, to be installed as principal at Simpson-Waverly. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 18, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_081805.asp
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Helen Ubiñas writes that it was downright depressing. Potential jurors from suburbia in Mayor Eddie Perez’s corruption trial said that it's not just the perception of a crime-riddled city that has kept them out, but that they just have no reason to come to Hartford. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 15, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_courant_041510.asp
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Earlier this summer, some on the council were frustrated by their inability to get timely budgetary information from the staff of Mayor Eddie A. Perez. The council passed a resolution giving itself the ability to subpoena both records and people -- specifically city department heads -- to its budget committee meetings. After it did, Rose wrote an opinion saying that the council didn't have that authority, and Perez vetoed the resolution. But recently, attorney Allan Taylor said in an opinion requested by the council that Rose's "fundamental misunderstanding" of state law led him to wrongly conclude that the city council does not have subpoena power. In fact, Taylor said, state law "plainly allows" the kind of additional subpoena powers sought by the council. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 08, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_090809.asp
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Connecticut police chiefs say a proposal to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to be treated as juveniles in the criminal justice system would hinder investigations and potentially cost towns money. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 28, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/documents/FamiliesandChildren/htfd_courant_022807.asp
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Mayor Pedro E. Segarra announced his selection of a new corporation counsel recently — someone who knows "the ins and outs of city government" — Saundra Kee Borges, the former city manager. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 16, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_071610.asp
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Bolstered by grassroot and lobby group support, legislators recently approved an amendment to a drug law that many think is unfair. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 19, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/crime/htfd_courant_041905.asp
Related Link(s):
The Alliance of Connecticut
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Nearly a dozen condo owners in downtown Hartford’s Bushnell on the Park have filed suit against the property’s majority owners, who are facing foreclosure, alleging they have violated state condo laws. Published by
The Hartford Business Journal
; Publication Date: March 22, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/housing/hbj_032210.asp
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As the clock continued to run down on primary and general elections, lawyers sparring over the state's campaign finance reform law returned to court recently in a hurried effort to save the landmark legislation, parts of which were held to be unconstitutional a day earlier by a federal appeals court. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 14, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/democracy/htfd_courant_071410_2.asp
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Chief Patrick J. Harnett recently testified in federal court in a case that dates from the early 1970s. The group of residents who are plaintiffs in the Cintron vs. Vaughn lawsuit want the court to find the city in contempt; the city wants the court to nullify the decree. The lawsuit was resolved through a 1973 consent decree that required the city to take steps to be more accountable and responsive to the community, particularly in hiring more minority officers and investigating civilian complaints of police misconduct. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 2, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/crime/htfd_courant_040205.asp
Related Link(s):
Standoff Not Helping City Police
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Despite angry outbursts and charges of illegality, the election of new directors to the ONE/CHANE board is a step in the right direction according to an optimistic Chairman Terry Waller. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 6, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_050605.asp
Related Link(s):
An Agency Badly Needs Rescuing
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North End Agency In Battle for Survival
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Community Groups Finances Investigated
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A state court judge upheld a recent Freedom of Information Commission decision against the city recently, saying Mayor Eddie A. Perez broke the law when he convened closed-door meetings in 2008 to discuss corporate support for a new arena in Hartford. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 05, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_060509_2.asp
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The city charter is clear about what would happen if Mayor Eddie A. Perez were to be convicted or resign from his post amid his trial on corruption. But the question of what would happen if the trial keeps Perez from fulfilling his duties as mayor — or if any future mayor were to be debilitated in some fashion — is less clear. Some council members said the charter doesn't adequately address what is considered to be an absence. The panel is now working to draft such an ordinance. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 25, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052510.asp
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The Connecticut Bar Foundation commissioned the University of Connecticut's Center for Survey Research and Analysis to conduct a statistically sound telephone survey of the civil law needs of low-income households in Connecticut. The survey was conducted from November 8 through December 13, 2002. The survey's two most important lessons are (1) that there is a huge unmet need for civil legal aid in Connecticut, and (2) that the legal aid agencies in our state, although they experience very high levels of active demand for their services, have low visibility within their population of potential clients. PDF document; 32 pages. Published by
Connecticut Bar Foundation
; Publication Date: April 2003
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/legalissues/ctbf_final_report.pdf
Related Link(s):
CBF Press Release
;
CBF Statement
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African-Americans and Hispanics / Latinos in Connecticut are disproportionably involved in the criminal justice system. In 2003 the Commission undertook four studies to garner further knowledge regarding how actions taken in the pre-arrest, pre-trial, trial and sentencing phases contribute to the proportion of African Americans and Latinos/Hispanics comprising the pretrial and sentenced population of correctional facilities. These four studies -- a survey of police departments regarding use of alternatives to arrest, an analysis of pretrial data, an analysis of juries, and an analysis of sentencing data -- provide insight into points in the system where disparity can occur. Recommendations include encouraging an increase in the numbers of minority employees visible at all levels of the criminal justice system. Published by
Justice Education Center
; Publication Date: 2004
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/LegalIssues/RedReport.pdf
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It's been 10 years since the inception of Hartford's Community Court, and it continues to be a different criminal justice model. In addition to social services being offered in the courthouse, almost every defendant is given a sentence of community service. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 24, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_112408.asp
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The Spring Newsletter from the Hartford Community Court includes a description of a visit by Hartford Police Department's Community Service Officers to the court. (PDF document, 12 pages) Published by
State of Connecticut Judicial Branch
; Publication Date: March 1, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/crime/2007_COMMCourtSpringNewsletter.pdf
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The Summer 2010 Newsletter from the Hartford Community Court includes an announcement of the return of a DSS case worker to the court, an award for Judge Norko, and the work of AIDS Project Hartford. (PDF document, 16 pages) Published by
State of Connecticut Judicial Branch
; Publication Date: July 2010
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/Crime/10CommCourt_SummerNews.pdf
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Good news for Hartford's Community Court. The decade-old court system -- which uses restitution and rehabilitation to fight prostitution, public drinking, drug use, vandalism and other quality-of-life crimes -- has been selected by the U.S. Department of Justice as one of three nationwide "community court mentor" sites. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 25, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/cityline_032509.asp
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ONE/CHANE, a north Hartford community improvement non-profit organization, is under scrutiny for possible financial irregularities and improprieties. To comply with the investigation and to restructure under its new executive director the organization has closed its doors to the public for the time being. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 13, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_041305.asp
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The Board of Pardons and Paroles is an autonomous panel with administrative support provided by the Department of Correction. The Board possesses discretionary authority to grant pardons for criminal convictions and to place appropriate offenders in the community under supervision as a means of supporting their successful reintegration into law abiding society. Published by
Connecticut Department of Corrections, Board of Pardons and Paroles
Document
Link: /Issues/wsd/PrisonerRe-entry/board_of_pardons_parole.asp
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Simon Bernstein sat in the front row of the courtroom recently as state Supreme Court justices, an assistant attorney general and two law students grappled over the meaning of his words. Back in 1965, Bernstein had been largely responsible for crafting an article added to the state constitution guaranteeing "free public elementary and secondary schools." A former Hartford alderman and Bloomfield school board member, Bernstein's experience with local school funding debates had convinced him of the need to make education a fundamental right. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 23, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_042308.asp
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The Connecticut Pardon Team, Inc. provides tools and information to help change the lives of individuals who were formerly convicted of a crime, who have successfully completed their parole and/or probation, who have remained conviction-free for at least 5 years, who have made significant steps toward rebuilding their lives and have taken positive action to rehabilitate themselves, who are taking a proactive role in giving back to their communities, and who are setting an exceptional example for other convicted persons. Published by
Connecticut Pardon Team
Document
Link: /Issues/wsd/PrisonerRe-entry/wsd_connecticutpardonteam.asp
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The Connecticut Science Center has filed suit against the world-renowned architectural firm that designed it, seeking at least $10 million and claiming that architects at Pelli Clarke Pelli designed an iconic roof that was "structurally unsound." Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 05, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/downtowndevelopment/htfd_courant_110509_1.asp
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The Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative ("CULI") is a non-profit corporation located on the campus of the University of Connecticut School of Law. CULI has two missions: to provide effective quality legal services to nonprofit clients and to provide law students with a service learning opportunity working with these community-based clients. Published by
Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/LegalIssues/wsd_culi.asp
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Helen Ubiñas writes that if the first day of testimony in Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez's corruption trial proved one thing, it's that nothing comes easy in city government — least of all getting someone to do the right thing. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 13, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051310.asp
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A federal official has ruled that Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez must testify to determine whether the city's police department has violated the 1973 consent decree that required the city to take steps to be more accountable and responsive to the community. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 6, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_040605.asp
Related Link(s):
Chief Cites Obstacles To Consent Decree
;
Standoff Not Helping City Police
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The joint federal and state task force that has been running the state's troubled child welfare system for the past two years has disbanded, state officials confirmed. The task force was established in 2003 as a compromise to avoid having the DCF placed in federal receivership for repeatedly failing to comply with court-ordered reforms. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 19, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/familiesandchildren/htfdcourant_101905.asp
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Mayor Eddie A. Perez lied to an investigator at a tape-recorded meeting in June 2007 about when he paid for remodeling work done by a city contractor because he didn't want the city's lawyer, who was also in the room, to know what had happened. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 21, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052110.asp
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The prosecution in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption case says that Abraham Giles, the mayor's erstwhile political ally, had no legal right to run a parking lot at 1143 Main St., and therefore had no business subleasing the land for four times what he was paying the city. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 04, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_060410.asp
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A slate of candidates for the town committee's fifth district whose petitions weren't completed properly should be removed from the ballot for the Democratic primary, Judge Susan Peck ruled recently. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 02, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/democracy/htfd_courant_030210_1.asp
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The prosecution in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption case says the mayor wanted North End politician Abraham Giles to be paid off to vacate a parking lot that was on a sliver of land crucial to a developer's plans for a condo and shopping center. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 27, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052710_2.asp
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A U.S. Supreme Court ruling could topple Connecticut’s system of public funding for campaigns. Connecticut’s Green Party is challenging this state’s public campaign financing law on the grounds that it discriminates against minor-party candidates and acts as an “incumbent protection” for Democrats and Republicans. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: June 15, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/democracy/htfd_advocate_061510.asp
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Even as Mayor Eddie Perez spends his days in Hartford’s Superior Court, on trial for corruption with perhaps five weeks to go, the struggle to sort out his powers as the city’s first strong mayor beginning in 2004 continues. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: May 18, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_051810.asp
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Participants in a recent drug policy summit at Trinity College agreed wholeheartedly that addiction is a serious problem, but were divided over whether that problem is fundamentally one of health - or of crime. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 22, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/LegalIssues/htfd_courant_102205.asp
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City Council President Pedro Segarra found himself at the center of the political and media storm that washed over the city in the wake of Mayor Eddie Perez’s conviction on bribery and extortion charges. Segarra succeeded Perez as mayor. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: June 22, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_advocate_062210.asp
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Jurors in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's bribery and larceny trial got their first taste recently of the kind of decision they're going to have to make in the jury room about six weeks from now. Opening day in the mayor's felony corruption trial centered on how the mayor and other city departments dealt with Perez confidant Carlos Costa as the contractor struggled to complete the troubled Park Street restoration project — a $5.3 million job whose cost has potentially ballooned to more than $8 million and is still tied up in court. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 12, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051210.asp
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One of Connecticut's most notorious — and in many minds, still unsettling — criminal cases resurfaced Friday when embattled Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez tried and failed to have the charges against him dismissed by arguing that prosecutors intentionally prejudiced his prospective jury with the disclosure of secret and sensational allegations. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 05, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_090509_1.asp
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Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Control delivered a letter to Sen. Lieberman's office on Constitution Plaza. The letter, signed by 100 state residents and about 225 people from other states, opposes an immigration reform bill that the senator is co-sponsoring. Immigration activists responded with their own demonstration. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 26, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/immigrants/htfd_courant_062605.asp
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State Representative Art Feltman submitted a bill to the General Assembly that would strip an NRZ’s power to comment on housing projects for persons with developmental disabilities. While it died on the vine, it did stir controversy among the Hartford NRZ’s and Hartford 2000. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: May 15, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_051508.asp
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The final alternate juror in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption case was selected recently, clearing the way for a trial on bribery and larceny charges to start May 12, 2010. The jury of six comprises three white women — two from Manchester and one from Canton — a white man from Simsbury, a Cuban-born woman from Hartford and a Hispanic man from Hartford. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 23, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_042310_1.asp
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At one of five free legal clinics held around the state, lawyers helped Haitian immigrants fill out the complicated forms to apply for temporary protected status. The designation allows qualified undocumented Haitian immigrants to live and work in the country legally for at least 18 months, perhaps years if the government extends it. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 07, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/immigrants/htfd_courant_020710.asp
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Would tracking the movements of parolees and persons released on bail with a Geographic Positioning System (GPS) be an infringement on constitutional rights or a necessary step to reduce both crime and the cost of our prison system? That question was hotly debated at a recent meeting of the Maple Avenue Revitalization Group (MARG) at St. Augustine’s Church. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: October 25 - November 1, 2006
Document
Link: /issues/documents/PrisonerRe-entry/htfd_news_102506.asp
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In this editorial, the Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that falling revenue from Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts, state budget cuts and the proposed reallocation of funds originally intended for legal aid have put the critical Legal Aid Service at jeopardy. The funding that has been allocated to legal services should be sustained. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 09, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_courant_020910.asp
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Greater Hartford Legal Aid is a not-for-profit law firm whose staff helps clients with civil (not criminal) legal issues. They are advocates — primarily lawyers and paralegals — who use their resources and know-how to serve people who have little money. They seek to equalize power and influence and see that all people are treated justly. Published by
Greater Hartford Legal Aid
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/LegalIssues/wsd_ghla.asp
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Dissatisfied with the legal advice it gets from the city's attorneys, Hartford's city council wants to hire legal counsel of its own. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 12, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_031209.asp
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Twice the city council has asked its own attorney for a second opinion on a ruling by Corporation Counsel John Rose.And twice the council's attorney said Rose was wrong. Earlier this summer, some on the council were frustrated by their inability to get timely budgetary information from the staff of Mayor Eddie A. Perez. The council passed a resolution giving itself the ability to subpoena records and people — specifically city department heads — to its budget committee meetings. After it did, Rose wrote an opinion saying that the council didn't have that authority, and Perez vetoed the resolution. But recently, attorney Allan Taylor said in an opinion requested by the council that Rose's "fundamental misunderstanding" of state law led him to wrongly conclude that the city council does not have subpoena power. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 09, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_090909.asp
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With the start of Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption trial approaching, the council plans to ask an independent attorney to clarify whether the city charter adequately addresses what happens when a mayor is "absent or disabled." Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 28, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_042810_1.asp
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The city has spent more than $200,000 in the past 18 months appealing state Freedom of Information Commission rulings that documents must be made public. Because of that, the city council has asked Mayor Eddie A. Perez not to authorize any more FOI appeals without first getting council approval. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 15, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/democracy/htfd_courant_041510.asp
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It's been a few years since allegations of corruption racked the Hartford Housing Authority. But there's an old mystery that won't go away: a disputed 2002 memorandum that developer Salvatore Carabetta says gives him the rights to develop Nelton Court and other sites. The authority has long disavowed the memo. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 02, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_040209.asp
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Hartford lawyer David Jimenez was recently appointed as the labor and employment law section liaison to the American Bar Association's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.As liaison, Jimenez will promote and monitor diversity issues in the legal profession. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 24, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_102408.asp
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In this editorial, the Hartford Courant expressed the opinion that Hartford leaders were in the midst of a difficult budget debate. Mayor Eddie Perez proposed a potentially back-breaking tax increase, and the city council tried to get that increase down to zero. The negotiations were nuanced and complex. The Courant suggested that for Mr. Perez to take part in the process because of his trial on bribery and extortion charges. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 12, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/taxes/htfd_courant_051210.asp
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As the Hartford schools implement educational reforms aimed at improving results, students are benefitting from partnerships that offer Hartford high school students at the Law Academy valuable experience and guidance Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 14, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/educationfunding/htfd_courant_071410.asp
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Four days after Evelyn Colon paid the September rent for her Hartford apartment, a state marshal knocked on the door. He handed her a notice that she had to be out in a month. Fannie Mae, the huge mortgage financier, had foreclosed on her building and was evicting Colon and two other tenants. Colon is now fighting her eviction in what her attorneys believe is the first court challenge in the country to use a provision deep within the government's $700 billion bailout legislation to seek protection for renters facing eviction after foreclosure. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 24, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_102408.asp
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On the third day of jury selection in the bribery and larceny trial of Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez, Helen Ubiñas senses a theme in the mayor's defense. Poor Eddie. His defense team's questions suggested El Jefe is a victim. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 14, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041410.asp
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A list of resources for ex-offenders in Connecticut, from Employment to Parenting (Word document, 4 pages) Published by
Hartford Public Library
; Publication Date: July 22, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/wsd/PrisonerRe-entry/Help_for_Ex-offenders.doc
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In an unprecedented clash, five major hospitals teamed up and went public recently to protest the University of Connecticut's plan to build a $500 million hospital in Farmington. They asked the legislature to block the proposal. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 9, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/documents/Region/htfd_courant_030907.asp
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The management of Chappelle Gardens, a 188-unit affordable housing complex in the North End, has been ordered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address a variety of concerns raised recently by residents. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 08, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_060810.asp
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The judge in Mayor Eddie A. Perez' bribery and larceny trial has ruled that a Hispanic bail bondsman could not be dismissed from the jury solely because his job brings him in close proximity to criminal defendants. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 14, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041410_1.asp
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A Superior Court judge rejected a last round of motions recently from Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez's defense, setting the stage for jury selection in the mayor's bribery and extortion trial to begin. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 06, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_040610.asp
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In the end, a judge ruled recently that a Cuban American juror could remain on the panel in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption case. Superior Court Judge Julia Dewey said there was no evidence that the woman's actions as a crime victim in a separate case would affect her ability to be an impartial juror. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 21, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_042110.asp
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Superior Court Judge Julia Dewey rejected several motions by defense attorneys for Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez and told everyone to clear their schedules through the last week of June for the mayor's bribery and corruption trial. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 06, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_040610.asp
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An immigration lawyer whose license was suspended after his 2008 conviction for federal document fraud faced opposition recently from other lawyers and former clients as he tried to regain the right to practice law. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 05, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/immigrants/htfd_courant_060510.asp
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Because of a tanking economy, eight staff members at Greater Hartford Legal Aid — including six attorneys — have been notified of impending layoffs. About 64 percent of Legal Aid's funding comes from interest on money held by law firms for clients. The fund is administered by the nonprofit Connecticut Bar Foundation. When the economy is good — or even passable — things are fine, but earnings have dropped precipitously this year, and alternate sources of income aren't enough to cover the difference. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 18, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_111808.asp
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Less than a week after Mayor Eddie A. Perez was convicted of five felony corruption charges, a former city contract compliance supervisor tied in with the probe received a special form of probation that, if successfully completed, would result in the erasure of his charges. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 23, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_062310.asp
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At a time when funding for virtually every state agency is under siege, Connecticut's legal aid offices are pleading with legislators not only to preserve their state allotment, but also to increase it by $8 million. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 26, 2009
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Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_022609.asp
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Organizers hope that marches in Hartford and New Haven calling for immigration reform will refocus attention in the state on the controversial issue of immigration reform after several years of relative quiet. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 01, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/immigrants/htfd_courant_050110.asp
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A new Wal-Mart opens on January 26 on the site of the city-owned old Charter Oak public housing project. The opening comes after a local ordinance was passed that mandates large retail stores to allow all manner of speech on or near their "city-affiliated" property. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 5, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_010505.asp
Related Link(s):
Large Retailers Like Wal-Mart May Need to Comply with a Special Free Speech City Ordinance
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When Latino voters go to Hartford's polls this summer and fall, federal law requires that Spanish-speaking observers will be present to help them read the ballot and understand the voting procedures. But that guarantee - now the law in seven Connecticut cities and more than 400 other areas around the country with large Hispanic populations - expires next year. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 9, 2006
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_050906.asp
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The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld a lower court's dismissal of Connecticut's lawsuit charging that the federal No Child Left Behind school reform law is an unfunded mandate. The appeals court ruled that the lower court did not have jurisdiction over the case. The state had argued that the No Child Left Behind law, designed to improve low-performing schools, was forcing towns and cities to spend millions to comply with the program. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 14, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_071410_1.asp
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ONE/CHANE, a nonprofit, community organization in Hartford, is not only under investigation, but experiencing internal turmoil as well, particularly on the board. The dissension among ONE/CHANE board members and new executive director may prohibit the group from receiving over $1 million it has requested from the state. The group has significant status in Hartford's black community that many are reluctant to lose. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 17, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_041705.asp
Related Link(s):
Community Groups Finances Investigated
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A proposed ordinance, which some say targets the new Wal-Mart at Charter Oak Marketplace, would mandate large retail stores to allow all manner of speech on or near their "city-affiliated" property. The issue seems simple, but gets complicated. Learn more in this October 7, 2004 Hartford Courant article. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 12, 2004
Document
Link: /issues/documents/economicdevelopment/courant_101204.asp
Related Link(s):
New Rule Makes Hartford Hub of Wal-Mart Debate
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Even in the loosely regulated, intensely political business of running parking lots in the city, Abraham Giles' no-bid deals with city hall stood out, the prosecution said recently in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption trial. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 05, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060510.asp
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The long battle over the proposed site for the new Pathways to Technology School reached a climax recently. Mayor Eddie Perez and others have pushed for building the school at the corner of Farmington Avenue and Broad Street. But others, including Governor Jodi Rell, have said the site is unsuitable for a school. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: February 7 – 14, 2007
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Link: /issues/documents/Education/htfd_news_020707.asp
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City contractor Carlos Costa said in court recently that he did free work for two city officials in addition to Mayor Eddie A. Perez because they were in a position to help him with his problems on the troubled Park Street reconstruction project. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 18, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051810.asp
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In a secretly recorded conversation with an investigator, Mayor Eddie A. Perez denied he ever knew that political confidant Abraham Giles was demanding a $100,000 payoff to vacate a parking lot that a developer wanted to buy. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 08, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060810.asp
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Mayor Eddie A. Perez faces a tough decision about whether to testify at his corruption trial. His lawyers are concerned about opening Perez up for questioning on charges that have yet to be raised at the trial. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 21, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052110_2.asp
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Jury selection was abruptly halted recently in Mayor Eddie A. Perez' bribery and larceny trial after the prosecution questioned the truthfulness of a Cuban-born juror's responses, and the defense fired back that the state just wants to strike jurors of color. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 19, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041910.asp
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When law officers who were dogging Mayor Eddie A. Perez heard about a list of vehicles that were exempt from parking tickets in the city, they went after it, just as they went after thousands of other documents in an 18-month pursuit of corruption in the Perez administration. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 09, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_050910.asp
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After a week of uncertainty about when Mayor Eddie A. Perez would resign following his conviction on corruption charges, the transition occurred on June 25, 2010 in the span of a minute. Pledging to change the way city government is run, Pedro Ernesto Segarra, the city council president, was sworn in as Hartford's 66th mayor at 5:01 p.m. Perez's resignation took effect at 5 p.m. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 26, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_062610.asp
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Attorneys for former Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez filed two motions recently requesting a new trial and asking that Perez be acquitted of all charges on which he was convicted, including bribery and extortion. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 07, 2010
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Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_070710.asp
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Carlos Costa, the prosecution's star witness and the man at the center of the bribery case against Mayor Eddie A. Perez, described in recent testimony a straight-up business deal he said he had with the mayor. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 15, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051510.asp
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Mayor Eddie A. Perez's lawyer said he was unknowingly tape-recorded by the lead investigator in the mayor's corruption case and made a statement on the tape that might implicate him in the evidence-fabrication charge that the mayor faces. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 19, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051910.asp
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Jury selection recently started in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's bribery and larceny trial, and his lawyer has made it clear to everyone in the case that he would be looking hard at the racial makeup of the jury pool. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 12, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041210.asp
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Focusing on the organization, effectiveness, and efficiency of the state's system of pre-trial diversion and alternative sanctions, this study reviews the history of alternatives to incarceration and suggests that financing has not kept pace with demand. Programs including alcohol and drug education, community service and violence education in treatment centers have the potential to reduce the prison population. Published by
Connecticut General Assembly Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee
; Publication Date: September 22, 2004
Document
Link: /Issues/wsd/LegalIssues/wsd_092204.asp
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The city council is considering a resolution that would prohibit campaign contributions from city contractors to candidates running for mayor, council, board of education, registrar of voters or treasurer. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 01, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_070110.asp
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The jury in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption trial recently was served with another challenge: what to make of the mayor's April 23, 2007, request for a criminal investigation of developer Joseph Citino, his proposed development deal at 1161 Main St., and an alleged payoff demand from North End politician Abraham Giles. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 02, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060210_1.asp
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In this editorial, the Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that defense attorney Hubert Santos might be stirring up an issue that otherwise wouldn't exist in Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez's bribery and larceny trial, which began Monday with jury selection. Jury makeup in the corruption case should have no bearing on outcome. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 13, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041310.asp
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The recent sentencing of Angel Martinez for the brutal rape of a city woman should have closed a difficult chapter in the victim's life. But in a different courtroom two weeks later, the woman's past surfaced again as she was being questioned as a potential juror in the corruption trial of Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 23, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_042310.asp
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Legal Aid offices around Connecticut, which open 25,000 cases a year for clients with little or no money, are facing a 2009 cut of at least one-third of their budgets. In the downturn, the state-sanctioned fund that finances their work is running dry. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 30, 2008
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_103008.asp
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In a blunt report, the state office that advocates for people with disabilities calls for shutting down the Hartford Transitional Learning Academy, saying students with learning disabilities and behavior problems are dumped at the school and left to languish. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 16, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_111605.asp
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Mayor Eddie Perez is for it. Governor Jodi Rell is against it. And Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has yet to make ruling on it. The “it” in question is the site of the new Pathways to Technology School at the southeast corner of Broad Street and Farmington Avenue. Construction on the new school started in late January 2007. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: January 31 – Feb 7, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/documents/Education/htfd_news_013107.asp
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A 29-year-old office manager from Simsbury was chosen recently as the second alternate juror to serve on the panel that will hear the corruption case against Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 22, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_042210.asp
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In May 2009, state Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, an influential Hartford politician, paid a $300 fine to the Office of State Ethics after admitting that she failed to completely fill out required financial disclosure statements for the years 2004 through 2007. Omissions included her husband's income and rental income from several properties. But the public didn't know about Ms. Gonzalez's admission and fine because the ethics agency didn't report it in a press release, as is generally its practice. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 05, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060510_1.asp
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Sister Sue Ann Shay — most people just called her Sue Ann — was a tireless fighter for social justice who never stopped working for peace and equal opportunity for all. Shay began her career representing poor children who were entangled in the legal system because they were accused of delinquency or because their parents were charged with neglect and abuse. She died on October 15, 2009. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 08, 2009
Document
Link: /issues/documents/faithcommunity/htfd_courant_110809.asp
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With the six regular jurors now seated, the prosecution and defense in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's bribery and larceny trial need only select three alternate jurors to have a full panel. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 15, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/htfd_courant_041510.asp
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A special master has been appointed by federal Judge Ellen Bree Burns to facilitate a resolution to the continuing conflict in the Cintron vs. Vaughn lawsuit. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 23, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/crime/htfd_courant_032305.asp
Related Link(s):
Chief Cites Obstacles to Consent Decree
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Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced plans to sue the U.S. Department of Education for requiring Connecticut to expand its student testing program without providing enough money to cover the cost. The action would make Connecticut the first state to file a lawsuit challenging the government's No Child Left Behind Act. The lawsuit drew a lukewarm response from Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who said that she wondered if the money for the legal battle would be better spent in the classroom. She also questioned Connecticut's being the only plaintiff in the case. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 6, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/education/htfd_courant_040605.asp
Related Link(s):
State Doesn't Need More School Testing
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Task Force on No Child Left Behind Final Report (PDF Document: Full Report)
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A federal judge recently dismissed much of Connecticut's argument for challenging a controversial U.S. government school reform law but left open one avenue for the state's lawsuit to continue. U.S. District Judge Mark R. Kravitz dismissed three of the four counts in Connecticut's complaint that the 4-year-old No Child Left Behind Act unfairly costs state and local taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The judge also ruled that the court will be able to review a fourth count in the state's argument. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 28, 2006
Document
Link: /issues/documents/Education/htfd_courant_092806.asp
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This Courant editorial expresses the opinion that it's time that Connecticut stopped making the vast majority of juvenile offenders pay for the violent crimes of a tiny few. Connecticut locks up more minors in adult prisons than any other state in the nation, according to a study released recently by the Campaign for Youth Justice in Washington, D.C. Judicial officials justify this abnormality on grounds that Connecticut is one of only three states - the other two being New York and North Carolina - that prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. But Connecticut's level of incarcerating juveniles as adults is disproportionate even among those three states. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 28, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/documents/FamiliesandChildren/htfd_courant_032807.asp
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Helen Ubiñas writes about various supporters of Mayor Eddie Perez who came to court to view his trial on bribery and corruption charges. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 27, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052710.asp
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Helen Ubiñas comments that, hands down, the most interesting, entertaining and potentially damaging witnesses in the trial of Eddie Perez were developer Joseph Citino and city contractor Carlos Costa. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 09, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_060910.asp
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Councilman Robert L. Painter writes that when it comes to drugs, we stumble over new approaches for fear they will make matters worse. A large number of citizens are ahead of politicians in considering alternatives to our present approach. It is time to begin the conversation about alternatives. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Document
Link: /issues/documents/Drugs/htfd_courant_040107.asp
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The jury in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's corruption case got a primer on mayoral politics in 2006 and 2007 – and, as was fitting, the accounts were in dispute. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 26, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052610.asp
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An enraged Mayor Eddie A. Perez, according to testimony in his corruption trial, dropped an F-bomb on the public works director when he found out that officials were trying to oust contractor Carlos Costa from the troubled Park Street restoration project. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 13, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051310_1.asp
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Rumors began swirling in the fall of 2006 that city contractor Carlos Costa had done a significant amount of free remodeling work on Mayor Eddie A. Perez's house. The prosecution in Perez's corruption trial has identified a Hartford man - Jack Santos - as a main source of that information. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 20, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052010.asp
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Two jurors were selected on Monday, April 12, 2010, in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's bribery and larceny trial, including a Hispanic bail bondsman whose dismissal from the panel by prosecutors was successfully blocked by the mayor's lawyers. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 13, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_041310_1.asp
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In this editorial, the Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that governing Hartford under any circumstances — especially during a budget crisis — is a tall order. But multitasking? Mayor Eddie Perez says he and his team can do it even while he's defending himself in a corruption trial. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 07, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_040710.asp
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Prosecutors intend to call as many as 22 witnesses in Mayor Eddie A. Perez's felony corruption trial. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 07, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_050710.asp
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Connecticut Working Families, a coalition of unions and advocates for the working class, plan to distribute fliers to employees and sympathetic customers as they enter the new Wal-Mart store in Hartford. Their efforts are possible because of an unusual city ordinance that allows for demonstrations, protests or any other exercise of free speech on the property. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 26, 2005
Document
Link: /issues/documents/employment/htfd_courant_012605.asp
Related Link(s):
Ordinance Intended to Guard Liberties
;
New Rule Makes Hartford Hub of Wal-Mart Debate
;
Wal-Mart Hits Critics In Media Blitz
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New state and federal laws passed in 2009 are supposed to protect renters in foreclosed properties from getting tossed out with little or no notice. But the state attorney general and legal aid lawyers said recently there is strong evidence that those laws are being violated - and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tenants have been pressured to leave sooner than legally required. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 02, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/homeownership/htfd_courant_020210.asp
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Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, who maintains his innocence, is under no legal obligation to testify at his trial on corruption charges as the defense begins presenting its case. Perez is the leader of a city whose residents are vitally interested in their mayor's own explanation of his behavior. They doubtless hope he decides to testify. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 10, 2010
Document
Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061010.asp
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