Judge Denies Kent Mawhinney Request To Remove GPS Device

STAMFORD, CT — Kent Mawhinney, the attorney and accused co-conspirator in the disappearance of Jennifer Farber Dulos, was denied a request Tuesday to have his GPS monitoring device removed from his right ankle.

Mawhinney, one of two defendants facing conspiracy to commit murder charges in the case, was seeking to have the device removed so that he can wear hockey skates and referee adult hockey games in the greater Hartford area.

"My client needs to earn a living," said defense attorney Jeffrey Kestenband told Stamford Superior Court Judge John Blawie Tuesday. Kestenband added that Mawhinney's law license is currently suspended due to the case, and as a result, he cannot practice law.

"We estimate that Mr. Mawhinney could earn as much as a $1,000 a week refereeing hockey games, but with the [GPS] bracelet, he can't put on hockey skates," Kestenband said.

Additionally, Kestenband argued Mawhinney is not a flight risk, because he is a lifelong Connecticut resident, with strong ties to the community and three children in school in the state. He also surrendered his passport to the court.

Mawhinney and Michelle Troconis both face conspiracy to commit murder charges in connection with the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, who vanished from her New Canaan home on May 24, 2019. Her body has not been found, and she is presumed to be dead.

Her estranged husband, the late Fotis Dulos, was charged with kidnapping and murdering her, but he took his own life in early 2020 before he could stand trial. Mawhinney, a former friend of Fotis', and Troconis, Fotis' former girlfriend, are accused of assisting in the murder plot.

During Tuesday's hearing, Connecticut Assistant State's Attorney Daniel Cummings, objected to the removal of Mawhinney's GPS device, in part, because Mawhinney is facing felony charges in two other cases in the Hartford area. One case involves a spousal sexual assault charge, and the other charging him with violation of a protective order.

"This is his third felony arrest in the past two years," Cummings said. "There are many employment opportunities that could accommodate a GPS bracelet."

Blawie, who has also denied similar requests by Troconis to have her GPS monitoring device removed, said that while he understands Mawhinney's need to earn a living, he suggested the defendant try to find a compromise with the probation department that might provide some way to keep the monitor on while wearing skates.

Troconis is due back in court on May 25, and Mawhinney's next hearing is July 27.

The Dulos case:

• Finding Jennifer Dulos Remains '#1 Focus' For Chief Prosecutor
• Jennifer Dulos Was Never In 'Human Grave' Prosecutor Says: Report
• Shocking Details Revealed In Case Of Missing New Canaan Mom
• Jennifer Dulos Case: New Updates As Mystery Remains Unsolved
• New DNA Evidence Disclosed In Jennifer Dulos Disappearance
• New Documentary Explores Jennifer Dulos Murder Mystery
• Law Enforcement Convinced Someone Knows Where Jennifer Dulos Is