News 8 Investigates: How many second chances are too many?

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Sometimes, one story leads you to another. Our recent News 8 investigation into possibly lowering the state’s DUI limit did just that.

Attorney Jonathan Sills of the Sills Law Firm knows his way around drunk driving cases. With approximately 3,000 cases under his belt, he’s no stranger to defending individuals with multiple DUI offenses. Sills showcases his success stories on his website and through ads on platforms like Google and Facebook.

“On that particular page, I think there are four or five references to not guilty verdicts, which have all occurred after a jury trial,” Sills said.

But with cases as extreme as defending individuals with many eight prior DUIs, questions arise from groups Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Connecticut . Sills firmly believes in the constitutional right to a defense, stating, “The person is always entitled to a defense… We don’t want to put innocent people in jail.”

However, not everyone sees it that way. Stephen Panus of Southport, who tragically lost his son to a drunk driving incident, sees the issue differently.

“There’s not a day you don’t think about him? Ten thousand times a day,” he said.

MADD also weighed in, emphasizing the devastating effects of drunk driving on families. Bob Gargulio of Connecticut’s MADD affiliate criticizes Sills’ advertising methods, stating they minimize the impact of drunk driving on victims’ families.

Despite the debate, Sills maintains that everyone deserves a defense, regardless of past offenses.

“I do feel that everyone is entitled to a defense,” he said.

As the controversy swirls, lawmakers at the state capitol are gearing up, possibly this week, to decide whether lowering the DUI limit will pass or hit the brakes, sparking yet another contentious debate surrounding drunk driving laws.

Watch News 8 Investigative Reporter Jeff Derderian’s story in the video above.

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