Michelle Troconis, convicted in the disappearance and presumed death of Jennifer Dulos, will not have her contempt of court trial begin next month as had been scheduled. Troconis now has a new attorney in the case, Darnell Crosland, who needs to get up to speed on things. Crosland appeared with Troconis for the first time in Stamford Superior Court Wednesday afternoon. She was previously represented by attorney Robert Frost.

During the brief hearing, both sides agreed to return April 18 to set a new trial date. Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Moran said she anticipates the state will need no more than one day to present its evidence.

Troconis is currently serving a 14 ½ year sentence after she was convicted last March on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with physical evidence, conspiracy to tamper with physical evidence and hindering prosecution. A jury of six found her guilty of plotting with her former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, to kill his estranged wife and hide the crime. It was a seven-week trial, during which Troconis is accused of displaying a court-sealed report from the Dulos divorce case on her laptop for both the courtroom gallery and anyone watching the livestream to see. She's facing two contempt charges, one for possessing the sealed document and one for publicizing it.

After court Wednesday, attorney Crosland called it ridiculous that the state was proceeding with the contempt case, given the maximum punishment is six months.

“It's just insulting to this family that has to come here all the time from Miami to support their loved one,” Crosland said as he stood with Troconis family outside the courthouse. “In all the other jurisdictions in all the other states in the union, if this was there, they would've already dropped this contempt in light of the sentence. What are we doing here? It’s garbage.”

Crosland stated that Troconis’ family brought him onto the case because of financial challenges they’re facing following the 5 ½-year legal fight.

“I've been working with this family. I know this family. I love this family. So, I came in to assist this family,” Crosland told reporters, adding that it “breaks his heart” that Troconis is serving time when she didn’t do anything wrong.

Troconis is appealing her convictions in the Jennifer Dulos case. The Office of the Chief Public Defender is handling the appeal based since Troconis has no income while incarcerated.

“We're very confident this will be overturned,” Crosland said, adding that when that happens, he might be part of the defense at a new trial. “If I'm fortunate enough to stay on the team, I’ll be here to work with them on that, but we have to take this step by step.”

Troconis was the first defendant in the Jennifer Dulos case to stand trial. Prosecutors turned their efforts to her after Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020 while facing several felonies in his estranged wife's disappearance including murder and kidnapping. Kent Mawhinney, a friend and former attorney for Fotis Dulos, was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is awaiting a trial date. Jennifer Dulos was last seen the morning of May 24, 2019. At the time, she and Fotis Dulos had been going through a contentious divorce and custody battle for two years. Police believe Fotis Dulos violently attacked Jennifer Dulos in the garage of her home in New Canaan, then disposed of the body. Security cameras in a Hartford neighborhood captured Fotis Dulos dumping black garbage bags later that day which contained Jennifer's bloody shirt, bra and other evidence. Investigators have not recovered Jennifer Dulos' body, but a court declared her dead.

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