WATERBURY, Conn. — The allegedly depraved Connecticut stepmom accused of locking away her stepson for 20 years inside her home of horrors was granted entry to his private data Friday — because it was revealed he’s nonetheless recovering at a secret hospital.
Kimberly Sullivan, 57, was in a Waterbury courthouse the place her lawyer argued her 32-year-old stepson’s new identify, new location and his medical data might be crucial data as Sullivan fights claims she imprisoned him for 22 hours a day in a storage closet since he was 11.
New Haven County District Superior Court docket Choose Corinne Klatt agreed that the alleged sufferer’s private data is critical for the protection investigation into the costs.
However the decide issued a stark warning to Sullivan that if she discusses his data with anybody aside from her authorized crew — she’d be slapped with contempt of court docket costs.
“Ms. Sullivan, I’m telling you proper now, you may communicate to your legal professionals about this data,” Klatt stated. “You can not communicate to anybody else. I don’t care how shut the individual is.”
“You can not launch this data beneath any circumstances,” the decide added. “If there’s a violation of this court docket order, you may be dealing with separate contempt costs.”
Earlier within the listening to, prosecutor Don Therkildsen argued to maintain beneath wraps the alleged sufferer’s new assumed identify and the situation of the hospital he’s been receiving care at due to how scared he’s of Sullivan.
“He’s beneath an alias, at a location that’s not disclosed for his psychological well being and his bodily security,” Therkildsen stated.
“The sufferer is fearful of this defendant,” the prosecutor stated. “The allegations is he was actually virtually lifeless when he made his escape from that room he was locked in for 20 years. He’s at a medical facility for his care and security.”
However Sullivan’s lawyer Ioannis Kaloidis argued that prosecutors have been searching for to maintain hidden data that each defendant has the correct to to placed on a radical protection.
Kaloidis additionally argued in court docket papers that Sullivan has a constitutional proper to confront her stepson in court docket. A protecting order has been in place which bars her from contacting him.
“In each case, names and addresses of witnesses are supplied, that’s the finish,” Kaloidis stated. “They’re asking for one thing distinctive on this case.”
The protection legal professional went on to say that the alleged sufferer’s fears usually are not a ample purpose to maintain this crucial data from the protection and he famous that Sullivan, who doesn’t have a felony file, hadn’t completed something thus far to violate the order prohibiting her from contacting him.
“He might really feel that he doesn’t need her to know his new identify, possibly that he doesn’t need her to have that energy over him, no matter woke expression that there’s now, however the actuality is that there’s no foundation within the regulation to withhold this data,” Kaloidis stated.
The protection legal professional stated not having the data would stop him from getting ready for the case.
“I’ve an moral obligation to research this case and adequately put together for this case,” Kaloidis stated. “Such a restriction would tie my arms.”
Klatt famous that Sullivan had no prior felony historical past and hadn’t completed something to violate the order limiting her from seeing the alleged sufferer. The decide additionally famous Sullivan was being monitored via the bail fee.
“The defendant has a proper to defend the case for costs towards her, any allegations towards her, and definitely, understanding the fundamental identify and site is critical for only a easy, fundamental investigation,” Klatt stated.
The decide added that Sullivan and her crew can solely use the data to arrange for trial.
Klatt additionally denied Sullivan’s bid to lose her GPS ankle monitor on the grounds it saved malfunctioning.
The stepson’s lawyer, Eugene Riccio, was in court docket arguing that his consumer ought to have a say in Sullivan’s situations of launch. However Klatt stated a sufferer is simply allowed to interject throughout sure levels of a case like a plea listening to and sentencing.
“I feel we must always respectfully have the correct to individually handle the court docket concerning our security issues, concerning our consumer,” Riccio stated. “Clearly, it is a very, very severe state of affairs.”
Klatt responded: “He has the correct to have his legal professionals, however he doesn’t have the correct to argue a movement throughout the court docket system.”
The stepson was rescued after he set fireplace to Sullivan’s Waterbury house in February — and was severely emaciated, weighing simply 68 kilos on the time. He claimed that he deliberately sparked the blaze so he may escape his captivity at Sullivan’s arms. He’s been publicity recognized as “S” since, along with his new location saved confidential.
The sufferer’s organic mother, Tracy Vallerand, blasted Sullivan’s bid for her son’s private data and to have the ability to confront him in court docket forward of Friday’s listening to.
“They should maintain that factor away from my son,” Vallerand, 53, completely advised The Put up.
“I feel it’s appalling. In the event you have a look at any home violence state of affairs, you’re not going to let the one who is being the evil individual across the one who must be protected,” she stated.
“It’s appalling that they even had the audacity to request that.”
Vallerand has reached out to her son however she hasn’t heard again but and needs to provide him the area he wants.
Exterior court docket, Kaloidis maintained Sullivan’s innocence and stated they have been wanting ahead to the trial. He additionally stated he wasn’t stunned by the decide’s ruling of their favor.
“It’s not my job to reassure [the stepson],” Kaloidis stated. “I don’t care about his emotions. I don’t care about any accuser’s emotions. My job is to characterize my consumer.”
He additionally stated he’d by no means threat his profession divulging the alleged sufferer’s private data.
Sullivan has been out free on $300,000 bail since she was arrested in March. She pleaded not responsible to costs of kidnapping, illegal restraint and different abuse-related crimes.
Sullivan is due again in court docket on Dec. 19.
