Quotes from HC article:
"The Stamford State’s Attorney’s Office, which charged Troconis with contempt, said in the warrant affidavit that Troconis was aware that the report was sealed and “knowingly violated” at least two judges’ orders by viewing it and displaying it".
"The new warrant for Troconis, signed by Judge Gary J. White on March 1, offers further insight into how the court became aware of the alleged criminal activity through a note from Farber Dulos’ close friend, Carrie Luft".
"Luft provided a written statement to investigators on Feb. 15, in which she outlined what happened that day that led her to pass a note to inspector David Edwards. Luft said that during a court recess on Feb. 15, she became aware of something on Troconis’ laptop that mentioned a doctor of Farber Dulos’, according to the warrant affidavit.
While seated in the courtroom later that day, Luft told investigators she “looked at Troconis’ monitor after a while and I saw, clearly visible, the words “borderline personality disorder” displayed as the top line of what she had pulled up on her computer. ”
"In the next paragraph, she said she could read the name of the doctor as well as the words “treating psychiatrist” and “Jennifer Dulos,” the warrant affidavit said".
"Luft estimated that the words were in a large font because she could read them from the courtroom. “The words were clearly visible to me. I was seated in the front row, on the aisle, behind the prosecution. I would say the words were in about 70-point font,” she said, according to the warrant affidavit".
"She said the writing was not quoted, as if in a news article, but appeared to be a first-person account, the warrant affidavit said".
“I was one of Jennifer Farber Dulos’ closest friends, and she had told me about the family psychological evaluation while it was happening and when it was shared with her in late April 2019,” Luft said in her statement, according to the warrant affidavit. “This is how I am aware of some of the contents of that report. I have never seen the actual report. However, what I know of it, and what I was able to read on Michelle Troconis’ monitor, leads me to believe that she was displaying some part of that report.”
"Luft told investigators that she tore off a piece of paper and wrote a note to Edwards because she was worried that the sealed report was being shown publicly and illegally, the warrant affidavit said".
“It concerned me greatly that Michelle Troconis was displaying this material in a clearly visible fashion, while the proceedings were being livestreamed for public consumption,” Luft said in the statement to investigators.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media/Pool
"Michelle Troconis is accused of reading parts of a court-sealed custody report on her laptop while seated beside her defense team on Feb. 15 during her criminal trial. (Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media/Pool)
"Her note prompted prosecutors Michelle Manning and Sean McGuiness to look over to see what was on Troconis’ screen. Throughout the trial, Troconis usually had a family portrait displayed. Luft told investigators that Troconis’ mother Marisela Arrezza, who was usually seated behind her daughter, “rose from her seat in the front row” and got Troconis’ attention, according to the warrant affidavit".
“Troconis immediately pulled down the document and returned her screen to her usual background, a group of people in white shirts and khakis against a green grassy backdrop,” Luft said in the warrant affidavit".
"McGuiness brought the concern to the court’s attention, prompting a sidebar conversation between Judge Kevin A. Randolph and attorneys for both sides. The issue was addressed toward the end of the day on Feb. 15, with Randolph noting the seriousness of the potential issue and making mention of a contempt hearing".
"The issue was addressed the next morning when prosecutors said they had confirmed the allegations by watching videos of the trial".
"In the warrant affidavit, the State’s Attorney’s Office wrote that they reviewed a video stream from the Law and Crime Network in which “the broadcast video moved in closer to Troconis and captured the full screen of her computer. The picture was brought in closer to include the left section of her computer screen, as everything to the right was cropped off.”
"Division of Criminal Justice Inspector Christopher Gioielli wrote in the warrant affidavit that he took a screenshot of the video that showed nine partial sentences containing about 82 letters, numbers and punctuation marks that mirror page 50 of the sealed report. That page, the warrant affidavit said, included a forensic evaluation of the Dulos family as it related to the family court case of Jennifer Dulos vs. Fotis Dulos."
"The Courant reviewed
Law and Crime’s video stream and the timestamp noted in the warrant and also captured a screenshot of the moment Troconis’ laptop was shown".
"The warrant affidavit also noted an article by Hearst Connecticut Media, in which reporters noted that Troconis had previously had an article pulled up that made mention of fabricated forensic evidence while a forensic analyst was on the witness stand".
"The article Troconis had pulled up was from the Associated Press, with the headline “Judge Finds Forensic Scientist Henry Lee Liable for Fabricating Evidence in a Murder Case,” and detailed how a judge found famed forensic scientist Henry Lee liable for fabricating evidence in a murder case that sent two Connecticut men to prison".
"Prosecutors in February made mention of this article and concerns about Troconis’ family’s behavior, with McGuinness moving to have Troconis’ mother barred from the courtroom".
"Randolph did not kick Troconis’ mother out but ruled that other than attorneys and court staff, no one would be on a laptop in the courtroom during the trial. Troconis did not use her laptop in the courtroom again".
"The warrant affidavit mentioned that Troconis had been in court for all criminal pretrial and trial proceedings when Randolph and all counsel consistently referred to the report as a “sealed” report consistent with Judge Heller and Judge John F. Blawie’s prior orders".
"In April 2021, Troconis’ defense attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, filed a motion regarding the report that was granted by Blawie in May 2021. Blawie’s instructions, according to the warrant affidavit, stated that the “report is released to defense counsel; restrictions pursuant to Practice Book Section 25-60 apply to its further dissemination.”
"The State’s Attorney’s Office said Troconis was present during that proceeding".
"Randolph first ordered that a contempt hearing would be held after the defense rested its case, then set a date of March 5. After the jury delivered its verdict on March 1, he moved the contempt hearing to March 21 and recused himself from the case".
"Troconis was officially charged with contempt on March 1 when she was taken into custody on an increased $6 million bond and brought to York Correctional Institute in Niantic, where she remained this week according to Schoenhorn. She is being represented by attorney Bob Frost in the contempt case. He did not return a request for comment".
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