The Connecticut Supreme Court heard 42 criminal law cases during the 2012-2013 term and has released decisions in 27 of those cases. Here are the highlights.
Murder prosecutions can present the ultimate test in balancing constitutional rights with the quest for justice. The stakes are high, the facts are intense, and the trials are emotional. Appellate review in criminal cases provides a safeguard to ensure that if and when lines are crossed, the right to fair trial either remains unimpeded or a new one is awarded. Three decisions in murder cases from the past term demonstrate the proper application of the rule of law in defining the bounds of zealous advocacy and constitutional rights even in the most difficult of circumstances.
