The head of the governor's commission studying the Newtown shootings said he is direct contact with the family of gunman Adam Lanza.
The commission that met Friday is hoping to learn more about Lanza's medical history.
Mental health experts on the governor's Sandy Hook Advisory Commission have repeatedly said that they are hamstrung in their work. They don't have any of Lanza's medical records to analyze, and the 6,700-page state police report into the crime didn't do anything to change that. But, soon, there could be movement.
Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson chairs the commission. He said, "I've had some very positive and fruitful conversations with the representative for the surviving Lanza family. So, we're kind of drilling down into the ways in which they feel that they can be helpful to us in filling in this picture of Adam Lanza. Hopefully, over the next couple of days, we'll be able to embark on that piece of it, so we can have a greater picture of the young man who went off-track so badly."
Jackson said he has specifically asked for original health and mental health records.
In a statement, a spokesman for Peter Lanza, Adam Lanza's father, says he's working with the commission.
“As Mr. Lanza has informed law enforcement officials throughout this process, he is willing to approve the release of any medical records that he has the authority to release," the spokesman said. "Mr. Lanza has let Commission chair Scott Jackson know that he is willing to meet with him towards reaching that goal. Mr. Lanza is also encouraging Chairman Jackson to invite any healthcare or service providers that worked with Adam to assist with the commission’s effort to find answers.”
The commission also discussed the state police's Newtown report, issued late last year. It is a collection of thousands of documents without any roadmap.
Now, an attorney for the commission said his firm is creating an index of the report. The firm is also creating a searchable database of the documents. That database will initially just be available to the commission's members. Lawyers are exploring ways to make the database publicly accessible.
Watch CT-N's footage of the meeting below:
