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Gaston said a lot of the mistrust dates back to Hans said Tuesday many people might not under-
the 1930s, when the U.S. government transmitted stand the importance of diversity on juries, despite
syphilis to unsuspecting Black men in Tuskegee, its importance.
Alabama, and left them to suffer with the disease. “I breathed a sigh of relief when people of color
“There is still suspicion out there because of were selected for the George Floyd case,” Hans said,
those historical incidents and because of the referring to the trial in Minnesota of a white for-
continuing inequities in our health care system,” mer police officer accused of murder in the death of
Gaston said. “Our church is educating people on Floyd, who was Black and unarmed.
the side effects of the vaccine. We are also having “Having a racially diverse jury promotes better
our leaders in the community get vaccinated to fact-finding,” Hans said. “One of the things that jury
show that it’s safe to take the vaccine. The more research has found is that having a diverse group of
that people see trusted individuals in the neigh- people from different backgrounds and perspectives
borhood take it, the more likely that people will means there will be a more robust deliberation as a
take the vaccine themselves.” result, and a fairer result.”
Valerie Hans is a law professor at Cornell Law ¦

School and a leading authority on the jury system. Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
She’s authored or edited nine books and more than analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
150 research articles on the topic, according to her him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
biography on the university’s website. 203-437-5950.

5 Questions With Chief State’s Attorney
Richard Colangelo Jr.

By Robert Storace

Transparency, diversity and inclusion remain his work, his No. 1 concerns and adjusting to the
top issues for Richard Colangelo Jr. as he en- pandemic.
ters his 14th month as Connecticut’s eighth His answers have been edited for clarity and
chief state’s attorney. length.
The 54-year-old Easton resident said his office is
addressing transparency on many fronts, first and Connecticut Law Tribune: One piece of legisla-
foremost with the implementation earlier this year tion you are seeking and that your lobbyist Melanie
of the Division of Criminal Justice’s first-ever Case Dykas is pushing for deals with internet stalking
Management System. and cyber harassment. Jail time for most stalk-
“We are able to capture data on what prosecutors ing and cyber harassment charges is one to three
do in every court location throughout the state,” months. Under the proposed law, this would change
Colangelo said. to a prison term of up to five years. Why is this such
As it relates to diversity and inclusion, Colangelo a strong focus of your office?
said he’s created new posts in the division to meet
that goal and has reached out to stakeholders from a Richard Colangelo Jr.: From the cases we’ve seen
cross-section of the state’s 169 communities. over the years, internet stalking and cyber harassment
The Connecticut Law Tribune recently sat down cause tremendous harm and torment to victims.
with Colangelo to ask him five questions related to
¦ Continued on PAGE 6

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