The Honorable Richard N. Palmer, Chair of the Criminal Justice Commission, announced today that the Commission has appointed Brian Preleski as State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain.

Attorney Preleski will succeed Scott J. Murphy, who will retire as State’s Attorney effective October 1, 2011, after more than 30 years of service to the State of Connecticut.

“The Criminal Justice Commission is confident that Brian Preleski will serve in the same great tradition that Scott Murphy has since his appointment as the first State’s Attorney in New Britain. We also wish to extend our sincere congratulations and best wishes to State’s Attorney Murphy on his retirement and to thank him for his many years of outstanding service,” Justice Palmer said.

“Once again, the Commission was impressed by the tremendous depth of experience and the commitment to serve the interests of justice that was displayed by all who applied for the State’s Attorney’s position. The people of Connecticut can be proud to have such dedicated individuals serving our State,” Justice Palmer said.

The new State’s Attorney was appointed for a term expiring June 30, 2014, which is the remainder of the eight-year term to which Mr. Murphy was appointed in 2006. The State’s Attorney is the chief law enforcement officer for the Judicial District of New Britain, which includes the cities of New Britain and Bristol and eight surrounding communities.

The State’s Attorney is responsible for the supervision of the prosecutors’ offices at the Part A Judicial District Superior Court in New Britain, the G.A. No. 15, New Britain, and G.A. No. 17, Bristol, courts and the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters and Housing sessions at New Britain.

Attorney Preleski joined the Division of Criminal Justice in 1993 and is currently a Senior Assistant State’s Attorney in the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain. He has tried more than 40 criminal jury cases, including several homicide cases.

Mr. Preleski earned his B.A. Degree magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut in 1987 and his J.D. with High Honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1991. He was a JAG Officer in the United States Army Reserve from 2001-2008 and since 2005 has been on the Adjunct Faculty at Saint Joseph College. He was in private practice from 1991-93.

Mr. Murphy, a 34-year veteran of the Division of Criminal Justice, was appointed on November 10, 1998, as the first State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain, which was officially separated from the previous Judicial District of Hartford/New Britain that year. He joined the Division of Criminal Justice in November 1977 at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney and transferred to New Britain in August 1986.

The Criminal Justice Commission was established by Article XXIII of the Connecticut Constitution and is responsible for the appointment of all state prosecutors in Connecticut. It is chaired by Justice Palmer, an Associate Justice of the state Supreme Court. In addition to Justice Palmer, its membership includes the Honorable Juliett L. Crawford, Judge of the Superior Court, attorneys Mary M. Galvin, Maura Hughes Horan, Moy N. Ogilvie and Ann G. Taylor and Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane.