New top prosecutors appointed in New Britain, New Haven

The state Criminal Justice Commission has appointed longtime prosecutors Christian Watson and John Doyle as the new state’s attorneys in New Britain and New Haven, respectively.

The commission also reappointed John J. Russotto as deputy chief state’s attorney for Personnel, Finance and Administration.

Watson replaces Brian W. Preleski, who served as state’s attorney in New Britain from 2011 until his appointment earlier this year as a Superior Court judge. Watson is chief law enforcement officer for the Judicial District of New Britain, which includes New Britain and Bristol and eight surrounding communities. He is responsible for the Part A Judicial District Superior Court in New Britain, G.A. No. 15, New Britain, and the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters and Housing sessions at New Britain.

Doyle replaces former New Haven State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin, who was recently appointed chief state’s attorney. Griffin was chosen after the retirement of the department’s former leader Richard Colangelo Jr., who was ensnared in a political scandal. Colangelo retired rather than face an investigation that could have led to his firing. The issue was the Division of Criminal Justice’s hiring the daughter of former Office of Policy and Management Deputy Secretary Konstantinos

Diamantis as one of Colangelo’s executive assistants — while Colangelo was trying to get Diamantis to approve raises for himself and the 13 other state’s attorneys.

Doyle oversees prosecution at New Haven Superior Court, New Haven Superior Court G.A. No. 23, Meriden Superior Court G.A. No. 7, and Juvenile Matters and Housing Matters in New Haven.

Russotto was first appointed as deputy chief state’s attorney in July 2004. He joined the Division of Criminal Justice in 1997 as a deputy assistant state’s attorney and prosecuted public corruption, white collar crimes and cold case homicides in addition to conducting complex grand jury investigations. He is responsible for oversight of budgetary and other administrative functions for the agency.

Watson began his legal career with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in 2001 and later served as a prosecutor for the Division of Criminal Justice for six years before working in private practice. After two years in private practice, he went back to public service and joined the New Britain State’s Attorney’s Office in 2010 where he was promoted to supervisory assistant state’s attorney in 2016. Watson earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and his juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Doyle joined the Division of Criminal Justice in 1998. For 22 years, he served as a prosecutor in the Judicial District of New Haven before accepting a position as an executive assistant state’s attorney in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in March 2020. Doyle earned his bachelor’s degree from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, and his juris doctor degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law. Since 2001, he has been an adjunct instructor at Quinnipiac University.

Russotto earned his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University and his Juris Doctor Degree from the Boston University School of Law.

All three men were appointed by unanimous vote of the commission, which oversees the prosecutors and inspectors in the state Division of Criminal Justice.