Burial of the Dead

CY PRES - Law Offices of Cal W. Stevens, Esq.

LAW OFFICES OF CAL W. STEVENS, ESQ.

MEMORANDUM

Memo to File:

On Monday of this past week, Matthew Wyman, employee of the O’Neal Funeral Home, entered this office at about 10:15 AM and threatened my paralegal, Ms. Ann Dillon, screaming that if he was not allowed to see Mr. Robert Sullivan [O’Neal Funeral Home, employee of late Emma Kost-O’Neal, Client No. P10054], he would do damage to the office and possible bodily damage to my clerk, myself and Mr. Sullivan. The man was intoxicated and out of control.

Ms. Dillon immediately telephoned Building Security.

At the time of Mr. Wyman’s arrival, I was in the back conference room with said, Mr. Sullivan, discussing with him several issues that have arisen as a consequence of the investigation into Mrs. O’Neal’s death and that investigation’s impact on the probate of the will of the late Emma Kost-O’Neal. The door to the conference room was closed and we heard nothing of the commotion up front. Suffice it to say Ms. Dillon handled the matter with the same dispatch characteristic of all her work at the firm.

Again, for the record, Mr. Wyman was intoxicated.

Evidence of this: Ms. Dillon asserts that Mr. Wyman stumbled about, slurred his words and smelled of alcohol.

On notification of Building Security in his presence, Mr. Wyman said he wasn’t going to “f--k with that bullshit” and stormed out of the firm, When security arrived ten minutes later they stated that they had not run into Mr. Wyman on his apparent exit of the building. After some minutes during which I and Ms. Dillon spoke with Security Officers, Talvacchia and Green, we filed a formal written report with Building Security and forwarded said report to the firm’s counsel, Mr. Abe Schoen, Esq. with a copy to the local police.

Discussions ensued as to the benefits of obtaining a restraining order against Mr. Wyman, and said discussion resulted in no immediate action taken at this time.

Ms. Dillon was shaken by the incident. I offered her the afternoon off for rest and recuperation. Ms. Dillon declined my offer and worked throughout the day.

Cal William Stevens, Esq.

STATE OF CONNECTICUT

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES

Division of Adoption and Foster Family Placement

Dear Mr. Deacon Leavitt,

This Division of the Department of Family Services is in receipt of your letter, dated July 7, addressed to Mr. Trent E. Malloy, Commissioner. Please be advised that Commissioner Malloy retired his position with the department several years ago and matters heretofore directed to Mr. Malloy’s attention have been re-directed to the current Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Forte, by way of Mr. Anatole Smith, the current Assistant Director of the Division of Family Services for the State of Connecticut.

For your information and records, a review of your file notes that you’re adoption identification number is C-09-28647-A287. Please use this number on any further correspondence.

The substance of your letter presents with your request to obtain the identity of your biological parents. The request is recognized by legislation passed and signed into law, amended as of 1981, and to be acceded to on your achievement of the age of majority, which as of the date of your adoption was determined to be twenty-one (21) years in the State of Connecticut. Your file indicates that you are currently past the age of majority and therefore well within the terms of State Statute 35-098-80 of the Connecticut Civil Code governing the release of the identity of biological parents on request properly made in accordance with the statute’s requirements.

However, with reference to the instant matter before us, I must inform you that as eager as this Office remains to comply with requests such as your own, a careful reading of the Statute by the Office of the Attorney General, Thomas Somers, Jr., Esq., Attorney General, informs this Department that we are disallowed from releasing the requested information because a similar request for the said identities was made some years ago in accordance with the terms of the Statute, as then amended, by your adoptive parents. At that time this Office under the auspices and authority of Commissioner Malloy did in fact convey to your adoptive parents the information requested.

Please know that such requests, when made by the adoptive parents, places this Department on constructive notice that the information in question has been disseminated to all interested parties in accordance with the wishes of the adoptive parents, thereby removing further disclosure from the jurisdiction of this Office. Please also know that although this Department is compelled to refuse your request at this time, you are entitled to appeal this ruling to the State’s Administrative Law Courts. Contact information and forms to institute such an appeal are included in this package for your convenience,

The Department acknowledges and recognizes the importance of these matters and remains willing to assist you with any future questions you might have regarding this matter.

Yours very truly,

Lori Masterson, Paralegal