Delaware Statewide Capital Case Litigation Training

The purpose of the Capital Case Litigation Initiative (CCLI) is to provide high-quality training and technical assistance on death penalty issues to prosecutors and defense counsel who litigate death penalty cases. This program focuses on ensuring quality representation in death penalty cases and trials. The goals of CCLI are to increase the number of capital litigation attorneys trained in death penalty cases, and to ensure that defense counsel and prosecutors have the most up-to-date and comprehensive information available to them on death penalty litigation.

The Delaware Criminal Justice Council will utilize the CCLI grant funds to train defense counsel and prosecutors. The grant will fund two two-day statewide conferences, one during each year, that will be open to prosecutors, public defenders, conflict counsel, mitigation specialists, and investigators. The conferences will include national trainers and break-out sessions that focus on specific disciplines. The trainings will result in 50 prosecutors and 50 defense attorneys being trained in capital case procedures.

In addition, at least five staff members from both the Delaware Department of Justice for the prosecutorial side and the Public Defender's Office/Conflict Program will attend two two-day train-the-trainer sessions so that training on capital case litigation can continue after the grant project ends.

CA/NCF