State Supreme Court dismisses attorney’s appeal of gag order in Dulos case
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HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) — The State Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the attorney of murder suspect Fotis Dulos to drop a gag order in the case.
The court issued the order on Wednesday.
“On Feb. 18, 2020 this court issued counsel of record to file memoranda addressing why this appeal should not be dismissed because the defendant has died,” the order read. “It is hereby ordered that the appeal is dismissed.”
The state filed a memorandum on Tuesday, which was in response to the appeal by Dulos attorney Norm Pattis.
The state argued that the appeal should be dropped because Dulos’ death made it moot. The gag order itself, however, would remain in place.
“The defendant’s public interest appeal should be dismissed as moot because the defendant has died and no exceptions to the mootness doctrine apply,” the state wrote.
Dulos’ attorney Norm Pattis issued a response. Pattis asked the court to resolve the appeal on its merits instead of dismiss it.
“Where a person’s good name, reputation, honor, or integrity is at stake because of what the government is doing to him, notice and an opportunity to be heard are essential,” Pattis wrote in his response.
Pattis long argued that the gag order that was put in place last fall made it difficult for him to defend his client in public.
At the time, Dulos was only charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution.
Dulos was charged with murdering her his estranged wife, Jennifer Farber Dulos, at the beginning of January.
He killed himself a few weeks later.
Dulos maintained his innocence through the end.
Pattis vowed to continue the case to prove that, despite his client’s death.
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