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Clockwise from top left: Judge Jon Alander, attorney Doug Lieb, victim's advocate Christia Ciancola, attorney Ken Rosenthal, prosecutor Craig Nowak, and attorney David Keenan.
It took nearly 29 years for a court to decide that Adam Carmon’s murder conviction was illegitimate — and under five minutes for a judge to rule that his release from prison should occur as soon as possible.
On Thursday morning, two weeks after vacating Carmon’s conviction for the murder of 7‑month-old baby Danielle Taft, state Superior Court Judge Jon Alander heard arguments for whether or not he should terminate an “automatic stay” encoded in state law that would prolong Carmon’s mandatory incarceration for 10 days.
In previous court proceedings, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Craig Nowak had argued passionately for upholding Carmon’s conviction. At Thursday’s virtual hearing, however, he conveyed support for Carmon’s fast release from prison.
“There’s a valid, lawful Connecticut Superior Court order vacating this conviction. The interest at stake is a person’s liberty,” Nowak said. “A person’s conviction has now been held to be invalid by a Connecticut Superior Court Judge — yourself, your honor — and we respect that.”
After confirming that Carmon’s attorneys had nothing to add, Alander asked Victim Services Advocate Christia Ciancola about the surviving family members of baby Danielle, who are still grieving her 1995 murder in her grandmother’s apartment.
Ciancola said she’s been in contact with Danielle’s parents, Shirley Troutman and Danny Taft, who were not present at Thursday’s hearing. “I know they’re very upset about this and are certainly hoping that he remains in, but that’s the only thing that I can represent,” Ciancola said.
A moment later, Alander announced his decision. “A termination of an automatic stay can occur if required by the due administration of justice,” Alander said. “I so find that the due administration of justice warrants a termination of the stay.”
As a result, Carmon’s case will transfer to a criminal docket. His lawyers will file a motion for his release from incarceration. And Carmon could soon receive permission to walk free, for the first time in nearly three decades, and for the first time in his 27-year-old son’s lifetime.
Previous Independent coverage of Adam Carmon’s overturned conviction:
- Day 1 of habeas trial: New Trial Sought In Baby’s Murder
- Day 2: Lost Years Flow Into Courtroom 5a
- Day 3: Trial Goes Down Memory Hole
- Day 4: Hyphen, Click Probed In Baby-Murder Case
- Day 5 & 6: Trial Q: When Did 2nd Suspect Not Lie?
- Day 7: Q For Judge: Would Verdict Have Changed?
- The ruling: New Trial Ordered In Baby-Murder Case
- Carmon Seeks Release From Prison After Judge’s New-Trial Order In Baby-Murder Case
Click here to read articles published at the time of Danielle’s murder about the circumstances both in the case and the surrounding neighborhood, as well as an interview with the man who owned the gun stolen to commit the killing. Click here for a story about how the family and neighborhood were faring 20 years after the murder, and here for an account of Danielle’s posthumous 21st birthday.
Given that Alander has already ruled that it is likely (not just possible) that a retrial with exculpatory evidence admitted would result in a different outcome, Carmon should be released immediately without bond.