Danbury Prosecutor Fired for Secretly Videotaping Women in the Courthouse

A veteran Danbury prosecutor accused of secretly photographing and videotaping women in the courthouse has been fired.

Senior Assistant State’s Attorney David M. Holzbach was terminated after an investigation found he had secretly recorded women, viewed pornography on his work computer during work hours and collected in his office “voluminous pictures of women, some pornographic in nature, while others depict women being bound or gagged or otherwise being subjected to degrading behavior,” according to documents released Tuesday.

Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane, in a certified letter to Holzbach, said he gave consideration to Holzbach’s work record and expression of remorse. “However, your behavior is completely intolerable and is of such gravity that termination of your employment is required.”

The investigation that led to Holzbach’s firing began in mid-April, after a woman notified Danbury State’s Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky III that she had seen Holzbach secretly videotaping women with a special pen. It was at least the fifth time Holzbach had been accused of similar behavior, during his more than 20 years as a prosecutor. Less than two weeks later, Holzbach was seen using the pen again, and it was confiscated by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Warren Murray, who was assigned to investigate the allegations.

Investigators subsequently found a user’s manual for a Brookstone Video Spy Pen “used to record females in courthouse and on grounds,” a hollow box with a one-way mirror in Holzbach’s office intended to be used to hide another camera, and four banker’s boxes filled with pictures of women, some apparently clipped from magazines and comic books.

According to a report of the investigation, Holzbach acknowledged using the spy pen to record women in the courtroom, other courthouse offices and on the courthouse grounds. He said that after watching the videos, which focused on women’s legs and ankles, he would delete the files. He also acknowledged using a Nintendo DS portable game system, which is equipped with a camera, to photograph women. He said he was never able to get the box with the one-way mirror to work, and also said he never recorded images in bathrooms, the lockup or jury areas.

The Holzbach case has been the subject of previous posts on The Scoop related to the public’s right of access to records regarding the conduct of public employees. Holzbach’s full personnel file can be reviewed here, and newly released documents related to his dismissal can be viewed below.