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Section 54-126a – Testimony of crime victim at parole hearing. Notification to victim

May 11, 2021 | Connecticut, Criminal Procedure

(a) For the purposes of this section, “victim” means a person who is a victim of a crime, the legal representative of such person, a member of a deceased victim’s immediate family or a person designated by a deceased victim in accordance with section 1-56r.
(b)

(1) When a hearing is scheduled by the Board of Pardons and Paroles for the purpose of determining the eligibility for parole of an inmate incarcerated for the commission of any crime, the Office of Victim Services shall notify any victim of such crime who is registered with the board of the time, date and location of the hearing and include information that such victim may make a statement or submit a written statement pursuant to this section.
(2) A panel of said board shall permit any victim of the crime for which the inmate is incarcerated to appear before the panel for the purpose of making a statement for the record concerning whether the inmate should be released on parole or the nature of any terms or conditions to be imposed upon any such release. In lieu of such appearance, the victim may submit a written statement to the panel and the panel shall make such statement a part of the record at the parole hearing. At any such hearing, the record shall reflect that all reasonable efforts to notify registered victims were undertaken.
(c) If an inmate is scheduled to appear before the Board of Pardons and Paroles who (1) is serving an indeterminate sentence or a sentence for felony murder, and (2) was sentenced prior to July 1, 1981, the Office of Victim Services shall work with the Board of Pardons and Paroles to locate victims and victims’ families and to notify them of the date, time and location of any parole hearing that is scheduled. If the victim of a crime committed by an inmate described in this subsection is a peace officer, and that peace officer is deceased, the Office of Victim Services shall notify the chief law enforcement officer of the town in which such crime occurred of the time, date and location of such hearing.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the board from exercising its discretion to permit a member or members of a victim’s immediate family to appear before the panel and make a statement in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

Conn. Gen. Stat. ยง 54-126a

(P.A. 83-416; P.A. 85-566, S. 2; P.A. 91-389, S. 7, 12; P.A. 01-211, S. 9; P.A. 02-105, S. 14; P.A. 04-234, S. 2; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 13; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-2, S. 17; P.A. 16-193, S. 30.)

Amended by P.A. 16-0193, S. 30 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2016.
Amended by P.A. 15-0002, S. 17 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Special Session, eff. 7/1/2015.

Cited. 32 CA 438.

See Sec. 54-220a re assignment of victim advocates to assist victims at hearings.