TROCONIS APPEAL UPDATE: The attorney representing Michelle Troconis in her appeal has filed her brief laying out why Troconis’ convictions in connection with the disappearance and presumed murder of Jennifer Dulos should be overturned. In March 2024, a jury found Troconis guilty of conspiring with her former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, to kill his estranged wife and helping him cover up the crime. She was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder,
evidence tampering, conspiracy to commit evidence tampering, and hindering prosecution.
Right after the verdict came down, Troconis’ attorney and family said she’d appeal. Troconis filed to do so in August 2024, but the appeal brief documenting all her arguments was not due until yesterday. The online court system shows it was filed Nov. 10, but it hasn’t been uploaded to the site for public view. The brief does contain sealed documents, so a redacted version was also supposed to be submitted, per a filing by Troconis’ attorney last week.
I’m working on trying to get a copy, but it’s expected to be incredibly lengthy. Last month, the judge signed off on Troconis’ attorney’s request to exceed the word limit by 6,500 words for a total of 20,000 words. The state has until Dec. 10 to file its brief in response, but I would not be surprised if that deadline is extended given the length of this appeal document.
The appeal is separate from Troconis’ habeas challenge to be released from prison and have her convictions vacated. That case, which is based on Troconis’ claims her constitutional rights were violated during the Jennifer Dulos investigation in 2019, is due to go to trial in January. The habeas petition, which was filed in September 2024, targets her initial attorney, Andrew Bowman, for alleged “deficient performance and/or incompetent counsel” and then-Stamford State's Attorney Richard Colangelo for allegedly failing to honor an agreement in exchange for Troconis’ cooperation.
Troconis’ is currently serving 14 ½ years at York Correctional Institution. She’s the only suspect arrested in the case who’s incarcerated. Fotis Dulos, who police believe killed his estranged wife in her garage in New Canaan and then disposed of her body, died by suicide in January 2020. His friend and former attorney, Kent Mawhinney, was also charged with conspiring with Fotis Dulos to carry out the crime—a felony charge—but Mawhinney pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with an officer and was sentenced to time served.
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