Connecticut approves $2.25 million settlement in nurse’s killing; state officials face renewed scrutiny over home health safety
Hartford judge signs off on wrongful-death settlement tied to a convicted offender’s killing of a visiting nurse; talks continue with the nurse’s employer as lawmakers push safety measures for home health workers nationwide.
Connecticut officials have approved a $2.25 million settlement in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Ronald Grayson, whose wife Joyce Grayson was killed at a Willimantic halfway house in 2023. A Hartford-area judge approved the settlement on Thursday, and the state does not admit any wrongdoing as part of the agreement. The case highlights ongoing concerns about protections for home health care workers and the supervision of offenders in community settings.
The settlement covers claims against the state related to the supervision of the offender and his probation, with settlement talks continuing separately with Grayson’s employer, Elara Caring, and affiliated entities. Kelly Reardon, a lawyer for Grayson’s family, said the talks with other defendants remain active while the state settlement is finalized. The attorney general’s office, which represented the state, referred to the court filing and declined further comment.
Joyce Grayson, 63, a mother of six who had worked as a nurse for 36 years, went to the Willimantic halfway house on Oct. 28, 2023, to administer medication to Michael Reese, who was living there while on probation after serving prison time for stabbing and sexually assaulting another woman in 2006. Police found Grayson dead in the home’s basement the same day. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by compression of the neck with blunt-force injuries. Reese later pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced last month to 50 years in prison.
The lawsuit accused state officials of failing to properly supervise Reese during his probation, neglecting to deter him from risking the public, failing to detain him for probation violations, and failing to provide adequate mental health and drug-treatment programs. It also argued that Reese should not have been allowed to be alone with visiting nurses given his violent history, targeting both the Department of Correction and probation oversight run by the Judicial Branch. “The family hopes that this settlement demonstrates that the state is taking its involvement with the perpetrator of this horrific crime against Joyce Grayson seriously,” Reardon said. “Along those lines, as part of the settlement, family members will be meeting with representatives of some of the involved state agencies to discuss ways that these types of crimes can be prevented in the future.”
The attorney general’s office, which represented the state, did not comment beyond noting the filing. Grayson’s husband also filed a separate suit against Elara Caring, alleging the company repeatedly ignored safety concerns about treating dangerous patients; Elara Caring has called the allegations unwarranted and said Connecticut officials were responsible for monitoring and managing Reese after determining he was not a danger to the community and releasing him to a halfway house.
Grayson’s death helped spur Connecticut lawmakers last year to approve a new law aimed at improving safety for home health care workers. The measure provides grants to employers for emergency alert buttons, buddy escort systems, tracking devices, and safety training. The case drew attention from industry groups nationwide, highlighting ongoing concerns about violence against health care workers in home settings. National Nurses United, a large U.S. nurses union, reported in a survey released last year that more than 80% of nearly 1,000 nurses experienced at least one form of workplace violence in 2023, with about half noting an increase from the prior year.