Conspiracy charged dropped in Jennifer Dulos murder case as accused attorney reaches plea deal
Prosecutors dismissed a felony charge against a man accused of conspiring in the murder of Jennifer Dulos, the Connecticut mother of five who vanished six years ago.
Kent Mawhinney was accused of conspiring with Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis to murder Jennifer Dulos. Prosecutors claimed Mawhinney, an attorney, helped provide Fotis Dulos a false alibi, and may have prepared a never-used grave at a hunting club.
"We do not have sufficient evidence to prove the charge of conspiracy to commit murder," State's Attorney Paul Ferencek said Friday. The statement came after an exhaustive investigation.
On the Friday leading into Memorial Day Weekend 2019, Jennifer Dulos vanished. The mother and writer was last near her New Canaan, Connecticut, home after dropping her children off at school.
Carrie Luft
In a plea deal, the state dropped the conspiracy charge. Mawhinney pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for misleading police about his contacts with Fotis Dulos on the day Dulos murdered Jennifer, whose body has never been found.
The plea brought an 11 month sentence, which Mawhinney has already served while waiting trial for the now-dismissed murder conspiracy charge.
"Obviously, it's a tragedy. But, you know, I have as much responsibility for that tragedy as you do," Mawhinney said.
So does he know what happened to Jennifer Dulos, or where she is?
"No. If I did, I would tell them. I don't know how they can get closure," Mawhinney said.
"Lost his license to practice law as a result of all this. Today, he has been vidicated," attorney Lee Gold said.
Fotis Dulos died by suicide in early 2020. His girlfriend Michelle Troconis is serving 14 years. She's appealing her 2024 conviction for murder conspiracy.
Mawhinney said he won't be going back to practicing law.
A spokeswoman said family and friends of Jennifer Dulos support the decision to dismiss the felony charge in part to spare the emotional toll of another lengthy trial.
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