Connecticut
US Connecticut Fires Chief Public Defender for raising unfounded racism allegations
The US Connecticut Public Defender Services Commission (PDSC) unanimously terminated TaShun Bowden-Lewis from her position as Connecticut’s Chief Public Defender on Tuesday. Bowden-Lewis, who was the first Black person to hold the role, was fired for misconduct since her assumption of the role two years ago.
According to the Commission’s 113-page decision, her tenure was marked by “significant administrative challenges and a failure to meet the professional standards expected of the office.” The commission succinctly accused Bowden-Lewis of creating a hostile working environment by raising baseless discrimination allegations. Specific allegations against Bowden-Lewis included improper management practices, lack of transparency, and failure to address staff grievances adequately. Upon the hearing, the commission panel unanimously found that fifteen of the sixteen charges were substantiated. The panel ruled that Bowden-Lewis “demonstrated inability or unwillingness to acknowledge the impropriety of her conduct”, stating removal was necessary despite her “long laudatory service” as a public defender before becoming Chief. She had been reprimanded by the Commission in October 2023 and placed on paid administrative leave in February 2024 pending the investigation.
Bowden-Lewis was appointed in June 2022 to great acclaim. However, her relationship with the Commission quickly soured as she began challenging its authority. In a March 6, 2023 letter, Bowden-Lewis’s lawyer accused the Commission of “hyper-scrutinizing and undermining her decisions” as a “pretext for discrimination.” According to the decision, all but one member of the then-Commission resigned after Bowden-Lewis accused them of racial discrimination. A new Commission was appointed but the concerns continued. The letter also revealed that two separate investigations had been initiated against Bowden-Lewis.
At an April 2024 hearing, Bowden-Lewis denied 16 misconduct allegations against her. Her attorney Thomas Bucci indicated they will challenge the firing decision, possibly in federal court or through complaints with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights. The public defender’s union, which voted no confidence in Bowden-Lewis 121-9 in February 2024, supported the Commission’s decision.
Also in a letter dated May 23, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association and National Association for Public Defense expressed their concerns about the proceedings and urged adherence to principles of defender independence. The letter stated that “Chief Bowden-Lewis’s effort to promote racial equity, inclusion, and community engagement should be applauded by the Commission, not used as a basis for discipline.” It further emphasizes that the commission should take into account the role implicit and explicit racial bias may have played in the matter before handing down its ruling. The associations also argued that “[r]ecent efforts by the Commission to limit Chief Bowden-Lewis’s authority to make personnel decisions and control the operations of public defender services are inconsistent with ABA principles and national standards.”
Connecticut
Canadian aerospace company Bombardier launching new ‘fast track’ training program in Connecticut
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — Bombardier, a Canadian company, is launching a new “fast track” training program in Connecticut.
The new program will expand Connecticut’s aerospace industry by creating an accelerated pathway for experienced aircraft maintenance technicians to receive new certifications and enter high-demand careers quickly.
“We know the demand for aviation technicians far exceeds the number of students we can currently prepare throughout our traditional programing alone,” Dr. Alice Pritchard, executive director of Connecticut technical education and career system, said. “Our goal is to create a sustainable workforce solution that can continue producing skilled aviation technicians for years to come.”
The program is set to start soon at the company’s service center at Bradley International Airport.
Injuries were reported in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 91 South in Hartford on Wednesday morning.
State police said the four-vehicle crash happened around 5:55 a.m.
The highway was briefly closed between exits 30 and 29A. It has since reopened.
According to state police, injuries were reported, but the extent is unknown.
The crash remains under investigation.
Connecticut
Avon daycare releases dates, times that former employee accused of sex assault worked at other Connecticut locations
AVON, Conn. (WTNH) — In light of recent information that a now-former Avon daycare employee accused of sexually assaulting children had filled in at multiple Connecticut locations, the company has released a timeline of when and where he had worked.
Jan Carlos Berrios Otero’s employment with BrightPath Early Learning began in January 2022, according to a letter sent out to families. Within the last four years, he had filled in at daycare locations in Simsbury, Windsor and West Hartford.
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero had covered partial shifts at the following locations on the following days:
- Simsbury, Jan. 20, 2026: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about four hours and 20 minutes
- Windsor, Sept. 16, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about six hours at the 555 Day Hill Road location.
- West Hartford, Sept. 24, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about three hours at the Park Road location
BrightPath stated that to its knowledge, there are no known allegations, complaints or incidents that occurred during these time frames.
Berrios Otero, 29, is facing six counts of risk of injury to a minor, six counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor for allegedly sexually assaulting five boys ages 3 to 5 during the month of March.
BrightPath is working to identify all students who were in attendance in Berrios Otero’s classroom during the partial shifts that he had covered, and will communicate with the families directly as soon as possible, the letter stated.
“Please know, we also understand our review is taking a considerable amount of time; however, the time we take to ensure we are supplying the most accurate information is critical,” the letter said. “We are working diligently to get information to law enforcement and the appropriate governing agencies to support their investigations, and of course to all our families.”
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero underwent a state and federal background check, which includes state and national criminal records searches and a review of the sex offender registry.
During the background check, which is renewed every five years, Berrios Otero had no prior convictions and was thoroughly vetted through the company’s hiring requirements. He additionally complied with staff qualifications and training.
The daycare says it is conducting a review of all of its records for the past four years across all of its Connecticut centers.
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