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Politics & Government

Appellate Court Orders Release of Komisarjevsky Witness Lists

Stay on releasing lists extended until June 1 so defense can appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court.

The Connecticut Appellate Court has ruled in the Hartford Courant’s favor on the appeal by Joshua Komisarjevsky’s defense attorneys to block the release of the witness lists to the news media.

The one-page Appellate Court order extended a stay already in effect on the witness list release for one week until June 1 to give Komisarjevsky’s lawyers a chance to appeal the decision to a higher court.

The Hartford Courant reported that the lawyers indicated they intend to appeal the matter to the Connecticut Supreme Court. Komisarjevsky’s lawyers have argued that releasing the lists would jeopardize his right to a fair trial.

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In court documents, the defense lawyers said if potential witnesses for Komisarjevsky are publicly identified, they might be targets of threats and intimidation that would discourage them from testifying.

The Courant has sought the release of the witness lists, arguing they are court documents that aren’t normally sealed and the defense wasn’t specific about the threats witnesses might receive.

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Jury selection for the Komisarjevsky trial has gone on for exactly ten weeks yesterday, but defense lawyers and prosecutors still have their work cut out for them.

Five alternate jurors and three backup alternates remain to be picked for the trial, which is scheduled to start on Sept. 19.

So far, Judge Jon C. Blue, the trial judge, has doggedly stuck to the schedule and denied several defense motions to move or delay the trial because of intense pretrial news coverage.

Komisarjevsky faces the death penalty for the Cheshire home invasion triple homicide in 2007. Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley and Michaela, were murdered when a kidnapping and robbery turned violent.

Twelve regular jurors and one alternate have been picked so far. Defense lawyers and prosecutors will return to court today to continue jury selection.

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