To The Editor: In Norm Pattis’ column “A CCDLA Party Crasher; Miss Manners Would Wag” [Connecticut Law Tribune, February 10, 2003] he chides the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association for not having Assistant State’s Attorney Stephen Sedensky arrested for attending its seminar, “How to Defend Child Sex Cases,” at the Quinnipiac University School of Law and also for canceling a scheduled second day of the seminar rather than allowing Sedensky to attend that day. Pattis says the CCDLA should have refunded Sedensky’s registration fee with a registered letter and called the police when he came uninvited. In fact, Sedensky’s registration fee has been refunded but no arrest was requested because CCDLA did not want to cause a scene when we were guests at the law school, not because we were “cowardly” as Pattis accuses. Our decision to resolve the problem in this way was guided by common sense and professionalism. After several unsuccessful conversations asking him not to attend the second day of the seminar, it was apparent that Sedensky would again persist on attending against CCDLA’s wishes. Therefore, after consulting with the scheduled speakers, many of whom refused to make their presentations with a prosecutor present, the second day of the seminar was cancelled. Pattis also says that the real losers were young attorneys and potential clients because the second day of the seminar was cancelled. Unfortunately, because of Sedensky’s intransigence those young attorneys and clients did not get the benefit of the free flow of ideas among the intended attendees � criminal defense lawyers � during the first day of the seminar. His unwanted presence chilled the discussion by causing speakers to edit their presentations and the audience to refrain from asking case-specific questions. Finally, Pattis began his column by saying that he will renew his membership to the CCDLA when Sedensky becomes president. In fact, Pattis’ membership is current, so if he thinks that the CCDLA did not exhibit “bold and aggressive leadership” in handling the situation maybe he should consider becoming an active and involved member rather than a sideline critic. Ronald Gold President Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association