BOSTON, June 15, 2017— A former defense attorney who now serves as Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s Chief of Professional Integrity and Ethics was honored last night for directing the DA’s legal training and conviction integrity programs, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
Assistant District Attorney Donna Jalbert Patalano was honored with the Unsung Hero Award at the 14th Annual Suffolk Awards, an event recognizing prosecutors, victim advocates, civilian investigators, and support staff for their outstanding work on behalf of the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.
Patalano was nominated for the award by her colleagues, who recognized her work overseeing Conley’s ambitious prosecutor training program, which exceeds all requirements for Massachusetts prosecutors; her implementation of the DA’s Conviction Integrity Program, which was the first in the state; and her eagerness to share wisdom and guidance with fellow prosecutors.
“Donna’s commitment to the interests of justice has helped us set a national standard with policies replicated by prosecutors across the country,” Conley said. “With Donna at its helm, our Conviction Integrity Program has reviewed dozens of decades-old cases with the benefit of new technology and fresh eyes, and we’ve created a groundbreaking continuing education program that weaves ethics and integrity into every training.”
The award was presented by Assistant District Attorney Jack Zanini, chief of the DA’s Appellate Unit and this year’s recipient of the Suffolk Award for Outstanding Appellate Prosecutor.
“Her vision aligns with the District Attorney’s and all of ours – not just that we can be the best at what we do – but more than that. That we can fulfill our oath to do justice for the defendant and society, that we can speak for the victim and the voiceless, and that we can do so ethically, fairly, and justly,” Zanini said. “She is truly wise beyond her years, and a force to be reckoned with – a force for ethics, integrity, and justice.”
Conley implemented the Conviction Integrity Program in 2012 as a standing panel to replace the ad hoc DNA Committee that had previously met as needed to review individual claims of actual innocence. The CIP’s mission is not just to identify and correct past wrongful convictions but to consider and recommend policies that would prevent them in the future.
Although Massachusetts has no continuing legal education requirement for attorneys once they pass the bar exam, the training program Patalano leads mandates that all Suffolk prosecutors continue their professional development by earning at least 12 CLE credits per year, regardless of their position within the office. Some training opportunities are mandatory, such as those addressing cooperation agreements and Conley’s policy of presumptive disclosure of Brady material; others allow prosecutors to hone their skills in particular fields of prosecution, such as child abuse and domestic violence.
Also honored with awards last night were Assistant District Attorneys Adrian Bispham, Philip Cheng, Vincent DeMore, Michele Granda, and Kacie Sherman; Victim-Witness Advocates Edith Ayusa and Catherine McGuane; Civilian Investigators Nelson Alvarez and Bill Durette; and Administrative Assistant Ramon Pascual.
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