Born in
Cleveland,
Ohio, Connell received a
Bachelor of Laws from John Marshall School of Law (now
Cleveland–Marshall College of Law) in Cleveland in 1918. He was in private
practice of law in Cleveland from 1918 to 1922. He was an assistant police
prosecutor for the City of Cleveland from 1922 to 1923 and was an assistant county
prosecutor of
Cuyahoga County, Ohio from 1923 to 1928. He was in private practice of law in Cleveland from 1928 to 1941. He was a judge to the Cuyahoga County
Court of Common Pleas from 1941 to 1954. ==Federal judicial service==