CT Law Trib:

Read what Attorney John R. Gulash has to say in this Connecticut Law Tribune article on budget cuts affecting homicide investigations (note that the law firm of Gulash & Riccio was dissolved and Attorney Gulash now practices under the firm name of Gulash & Associates):

Conn. Medical Examiner Budget Cuts Worry Defense Bar

http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202759284671/Conn-Medical-Examiner-Budget-Cuts-Worry-Defense-Bar?mcode=0&curindex=0

...John Gulash of Gulash & Riccio in Bridgeport noted that when applicable, the state has a duty to produce exculpatory evidence. "The fact is it's commonly known that the toxicology reports in relation to a homicide case is potentially exculpatory," Gulash said. "You would think that burden would start with them and stay with them."

Gulash said he's handled many cases in which self-defense was an issue, particularly when drugs or alcohol were involved.

However, he acknowledged that toxicology reports are not needed in every case. "Maybe 90 percent of the time, the results of the toxicology screen don't prove to have any significance to the cause of death," said Gulash. "We're only talking about a potential murder prosecution. We're only talking about when the rest of someone's life is on the line."... #END#