Crime & Safety

Accused 'Youth Counselor' Seeks Legal Counselor

Troy Grant, who faces 100 years in prison on sexual assault charges, is looking for an attorney, because the court granted his previous attorney's request to drop this client.

Troy Grant, 41, a former youth counselor in Danbury who faces more than 100 years in prison on sexual assault charges, was given three choices in Danbury Superior Court Wednesday.

Hire a new attorney, represent yourself, or qualify for a public defender, said Judge Susan Sheridan Reynolds.

Reynolds granted Grant’s former attorney the right to drop the case. She also kept Grant behind bars awaiting trail, rather than grant his motion to dismiss his arrest for failing to appear in court in December.

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Reynolds was hearing a motion in court Wednesday made by Grant’s former attorney, James Diamond, who asked to be removed from the case.

Diamond explained that he and Grant have failed to communicate and that Grant hasn’t paid Diamond for Grant’s upcoming trial.

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The case is over a year old, Judge Reynolds said, and it’s going to be coming up for a trial soon.

Grant said he wanted to keep Diamond as his attorney, but he didn’t say if he would pay Diamond.

“He is not participating in the trial preparation and he is not participating in the plea negotiations,” Diamond said.

The state initially offered Grant a plea deal of 85 years suspended after 45 years, and Grant rejected that offer. He was then offered a deal that cut that in half, or “more than half,” Diamond said, down to 18 years, and Grant refused it.

“Mr. Grant decided he wanted a jury trail,” Diamond said. “Mr. Grant has just not cooperated in my efforts to represent him. I think the attorney-client relationship has broken down.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Sharmese Hodge said the state’s position on the motion is the arrest was made in January 2010, and the state wants the case to move forward.

Grant said he didn’t want to change lawyers, but he didn’t offer to pay Diamond any money.

“I would like to go forward with Mr. Diamond,” Grant said.

Judge Reynolds gave Grant an opening to talk money, when she said, he can’t work for free.

Grant stands charged with three counts of second-degree sexual assault; three counts of illegal sexual contact; two counts of criminal attempt to commit illegal sexual contact; nine counts of risk of injury to a minor; three counts of delivery of alcohol to a minor; three counts of sexual assault in the third degree and two counts of fourth degree sexual assault.

Some of his victims, who were 15, 16, 17, according to the arrest warrant application, were teenagers he was in charge of counseling.


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