Editor's note: This version corrects and clarifies the names and events of May 24, 1993.

John Cluny, whose wife and son were murdered at their Norwich home in 1993 by then 15-year-old Michael Bernier, met the prominent defense attorney Thursday who has been hired to represent Bernier in his quest to reduce his prison sentence.

Attorney Norman A. Pattis, well known in Connecticut's state and federal courthouses as a passionate and knowledgeable advocate for his clients, introduced himself to Cluny in the hallway in New London Superior Court.

Cluny said his impression was that Pattis, who is outspoken, wears his hair long and dresses less formally than some other attorneys, was "one of those radical attorneys." Cluny said he told Pattis that Bernier, who is serving a 60-year-sentence, doesn't deserve to get out of prison early.

"He said, 'That's your opinion,' " Cluny said later. "I said, 'That's right.'"

Bernier, now 37, is one of an estimated 200 Connecticut prisoners sentenced as juveniles to lengthy prison terms who are seeking sentence reductions based on newly passed legislation that prevents courts from sentencing juveniles to life in prison without the possibility of a parole hearing.

The General Assembly passed the bill in response to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that hold that judges must consider a defendant's age at the time of a crime as a mitigating factor when imposing a life sentence

The law states that a juvenile sentenced to less than 50 years in prison will be eligible for parole after serving 60 percent of the sentence, or 12 years, whichever is greater. If a juvenile is sentenced to more than 50 years in prison, he or she must serve 30 years before being considered for parole.

Though Bernier was brought to the courthouse from the Cheshire Correctional Institution Thursday, he was not presented before Judge Hillary B. Strackbein and no legal arguments took place. Pattis, who said he was only recently retained to represent Bernier, asked that the case be continued to Nov. 6.

Pattis said it makes sense to wait and see if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Connecticut prosecutors' appeal in State vs. Ackeem Riley. The case involves a Hartford man whose 100-year sentence, for a crime he committed at age 16, was overturned by the state Supreme Court.

Reached by phone later, Pattis would not say who retained him, but hinted it was Bernier's family.

"We like Mike," he said. "His parents love him."

Cluny, who is 71, has vowed to spend the rest of his life fighting to keep Bernier in prison. Cluny had come home from his machinist's job at Electric Boat on May 24, 1993, to find his wife, Elaine, and 14-year-old son, David, dead of gunshot wounds to the head. A motive for the crimes was never established.

Cluny, pleasant in demeanor and blunt in speech, said he would like to see Bernier die in prison. Bernier was his neighbor and his son's friend.

According to reports, Bernier broke into Cluny's home, unlocked Cluny's .357 Magnum and shot the family dog. He hid in David Cluny's closet and shot him in the back of his head when he got home from school.

Elaine Cluny, a teacher, came home from school a half an hour later, found her son's body and was shot behind her left ear.

Bernier's parents could not be reached to comment.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN