| Dearly Beloved Neighbor,
I hope this correspondence finds you well...
I don't know if you have been following along in the process of hiring an independent ombudsman for the Department of Corrections. I have been because the issue is close to my heart. Incarcerated people should not be subjected to inhumane treatment or conditions, and when something is happening regarding a loved one inside, a relative, a friend, etc., they should be contacted immediately, especially in cases where medical attention is needed.
This past Tuesday, fellow lawmaker Anne Hughes and I joined several criminal justice advocates, including Barbara Fair of Solitary CT - who has done so much in championing fairness for incarcerated people - for a press conference to call on integrity and transparency in the hiring process. She was among three candidates who emerged for the job, including attorney Ken Krayeske and public defender Hilary Carpenter, who was appointed by Governor Lamont in February. Krayeske was the choice of the CT Prison Oversight Committee. Krayeske was the first choice of the committee. Barbara Fair was the second choice and Hilary Carpenter was the third choice.
So what happened here? Two good articles came out of the press conference to provide background, get you up to speed on where things stand right now, and why there are concerns.
For the article that appeared in CT Mirror, please click HERE and for the CT Examiner version, please, click HERE. To hear some of my comments from the press conference, please click below. |
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