Report by Paula Antolini, March 3, 2020, 4:02PM EDT
Today a judge agreed to nolle murder charges against Fotis Dulos in the alleged murder of his estranged wife Jennifer Dulos, the mother of their 5 children, after the Chief State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo asked for the case to be dropped, due to Dulos committing suicide.
Norm Pattis, the attorney for Fotis Dulos, said someone else killed Jennifer Dulos and placed the bloody bags on Fotis’ porch, only Pattis is not revealing a name at this time. He also said he can explain the bloody bags that were thrown away on Albany Avenue in Hartford, saying that Dulos panicked, but that he is innocent.
Pattis still wants to prove his client’s innocence in court and plans on asking the estate to allow him to do an appeal, and to use the estate to move forward in Dulos’ estate’s name with the trial. He feels that his client’s memory is “stained” with the “scandalous accusations.”
Pattis spoke outside the courthouse and said, “This was not the ending we anticipated in the form we hoped. We hoped fully well to stand in front of you someday with the charges against Mr. Dulos ended by way of an acquittal. Instead, they were nollied, incident or as a result of his death.”
The original charges charges against Dulos were murder, felony murder, kidnapping (first-degree), hindering prosecution (first degree) and two counts of tampering with physical evidence in the case of Jennifer’s disappearance. Dulos plead not guilty to the charges.
Jennifer Dulos’ remains have not been found in a wide search of land and water, and also a thorough search of various homes, since her disappearance from her New Canaan, CT, home on May 24, 2019.
If the state does not open the case in 13 months from today, the case will be dismissed.
Michelle Troconis and Kent Mawhinney will still face trial separately and have both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in the Jennifer Dulos case. Charges against Troconis are also first degree hindering of prosecution and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.
Mawhinney also has other charges filed against him in another case by his estranged wife, including sexual assault and violation of a protection order.
###