New London attorney named interim Correction ombudsman

Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday appointed a New London attorney to be the interim ombudsman for the state Department of Correction while the process of picking a permanent one restarts this fall.

DeVaughn L. Ward will begin serving in the newly created position on Sept. 23 and will stay on until the 11-member Correction Advisory Committee nominates a candidate to fill the role permanently.

Last year, Lamont ignored the commission’s recommendation to appoint either Ken Krayeske or Barbara Fair as the ombudsman and instead nominated long-time public defender Hilary Carpenter for the post, which carries a two-year term.

But Carpenter did not make it through the legislative nomination process, forcing Lamont and top legislators to agree on the interim position while the process started all over again.

That agreement, which lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to codify into state law prior to the end of the session last May, allowed the Lamont administration and the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus to work together on choosing an interim candidate.

“An independent authority who can evaluate the operations of correctional facilities will provide a valuable voice on behalf of individuals while they are in custody,” Lamont said in a statement Friday.

“I appreciate DeVaughn for his willingness to take on this role and get this new office up and running so that it can be functional and operating sooner rather than later,” Lamont added. “DeVaughn is well-known in Connecticut as an advocate on behalf of those impacted by the correctional system, and his extensive experience and the work he has been doing in private practice will transfer well to his service as ombudsman.”

Ward is currently a managing attorney at Ward Law LLC based in Hartford. Several of his recent cases involved representing inmates and advocating for their rights while in custody.

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At least one of his recent cases involved working with Krayeske, who has filed several lawsuits on behalf of inmates, particularly surrounding the health care they receive while incarcerated.

“Having worked with DeVaughn, I have the utmost confidence that he will hold the [Corrections] agency accountable,” Krayeske said Friday.

Krayeske declined to comment on the selection process.

Carpenter’s nomination last spring by Lamont did not sit well with several legislators because it went against the guidance of the Correction Advisory Committee , which ranked Krayeske and Fair, two advocates often critical of the administration and its handling of criminal justice affairs, more favorably.

Carpenter’s nomination didn’t initially pass out of committee, and unwavering opposition from top lawmakers left Carpenter with a difficult path to confirmation as the session wound down last May.

Instead, the deal was worked out that led to Ward’s interim appointment this week. He was chosen by Lamont and the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. It is unclear if Ward will be considered for the permanent position.

“This position represents a critical step forward in ensuring that our correctional facilities are held to the highest standards of accountability and transparency,” Ward said. “I look forward to working diligently with lawmakers, advocates, and incarcerated individuals to advance the rights and well-being of Connecticut’s incarcerated population, and to contribute to meaningful reforms that enhance our state’s criminal justice system.”

Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee and one of the leading proponents of the legislation that originally created the correction ombudsman position, said he approved of Ward’s appointment.

“DeVaughn Ward has the expertise and values to serve as the new interim correction ombudsman in a way that fulfills the promise of this position,” Winfield said. “I have complete confidence in his abilities and know he will be an exceptional advocate for those in our correctional facilities that for too long lacked a voice in how the criminal justice system is run.”

In September, the Correction Advisory Committee is to reopen the hiring process for the position and send its recommendation to the governor by December. Lamont would then have 30 days to make his nomination to the General Assembly, which reconvenes in January.

The agreed-upon framework eliminated the possibility of Carpenter’s appointment this session, which needed approval from both the House and Senate. It also further delays a process that people in prison have hoped for a swift conclusion to since the passage of a law in 2022.

The Correction Advisory Board started its second search for a permanent nomination at its July meeting. They are expected to make a nomination for the next legislative session which begins in January.