Connecticut

CONNECTICUT--In late April, federal District Judge Peter Dorsey in New Haven approved a stipulation which allowed a controversial public access program host to have his show carried by the local cable provider after he was banned for more than two years.

CONNECTICUT--A federal appellate court in New York City (2nd Cir.) found in mid-July that a private party can seek relief under the cable act in federal court and ordered the District Court in Hartford, Conn., to reconsider Jerry McClellan's claim that Cablevision of Connecticut improperly banned his talk show from its public access channel.

The ruling overturned the district court judge's holding that the Cable Communications Policy Act does not provide a private cause of action for McClellan's claims that Cablevision violated his rights by censoring his show.

CONNECTICUT--In early March the state Supreme Court in Hartford held that newspaper editorials and articles accusing a developer of "sleazy" dealings with a zoning commission were not sufficient to support the developer's libel suit.

The high court affirmed the dismissal of the case by a trial court in Hartford.

CONNECTICUT--A police internal investigation report relating to the wounding of a civilian by a state trooper must be released to a reporter for The Hartford Courant, a superior court judge in Hartford ruled in mid-January.

The court found that exemptions in the state Freedom of Information Act for witness statements, investigatory techniques and motor vehicle operation license information do not apply to prevent disclosure of the report.