Connecticut governor signs death penalty repeal

(Associated Press)

(CBS/AP) HARTFORD, Conn. - Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has signed legislation into law that abolishes Connecticut's death penalty for future crimes.

A spokeswoman said the Democrat signed the bill Wednesday afternoon at a private ceremony with lawmakers, clergy and family members of victims.

Malloy called it "an historic moment" as Connecticut joins 16 other states that have abolished capital punishment. He said it was a moment "for sober reflection, not celebration."

The bill was signed the same day that a new Quinnipiac University poll showed 62 percent of Connecticut voters support the death penalty. The same survey found 47 percent of voters disapprove of Malloy's handling of the issue, while 33 percent approve.

A former prosecutor, Malloy said his position on the death penalty has evolved over the years.

The legislation only abolishes the death penalty prospectively; it won't affect the 11 men already on death row, including Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, the two men convicted in the killing of Dr. William Petit's family, the Hartford Courant reported.

Last year, strong public sentiment for Petit, whose wife and two daughters were brutally murdered in 2007, prevented the bill's passage.

Lawmakers struck a compromise that ensures those currently convicted of a capital felony will get life imprisonment without possibility of release, not death.

But the bill does not apply to those 11 awaiting the death penalty.

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by Founders-1791 April 26, 2012 2:14 AM EDT

Dr. William Petit thanks you Democrat Governor,

On July 23, 2007, in Cheshire Connecticut, the Dr's wife Jennifer Petit 48, her two Daughters Hayley Petit 17, Michaela Peitit 11 were MURDERED, RAPED, and BURNED by Steven J. Hayes and Joshua A. Komisarjevsky. He was severely beaten and witnessed the carnage.

Connecticut Democrats REWARD THE MURDERERS, who were sentenced to death by a Jury of their peers. Compassion for MURDERERS

PATHETIC OBAMA SOCIALISM and RADICAL SUBVERSIVE ANTI AMERICANS

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by Founders-1791 April 26, 2012 2:16 AM EDT: Here in Florida we RESPECT the VICTIMS, as they do in Texas, and execute the Vermin and murderous thugs.

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The Constitution is ignored by Radical Socialist Democrats

The Bill of Rights - 5th Amendment

"...No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..."

The Bill of Rights - 8th Amendment

"...Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted..."

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1976, Gregg v. Georgia - Supreme Court Decision

"...The imposition of the death penalty for the crime of murder has a long history of acceptance both in the United States and in England..."


by slatep April 26, 2012 1:25 AM EDT: Evidently; Malloy has joined the ranks of many politicians in this country who couldn't care less about the preferences of the people who voted him into office.

Just one more ego-maniac among the many "serving" the people of the United States today.

Life without the possibility of parole does not neccessarily think what you think it means.

There is a program called "The First 48" on a cable network.

Almost every show deals with real people who have committed one or more murders.

Usually; at the end of the show there is a statement that the person charged with the crime is innocent until proven guilty.

HOWEVER; sometimes the person has been convicted and sentencenced to life without parole.

This is followed with a statement that the person will not be eligible for parole until 20??.

To me; this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

While this does not guarantee the criminal will be paroled in 20??; it does allow for the possibility this person will be out on the streets at some point in time and could re-offend.

One of the main reasons persons convicted of felonies are walking the streets; long before they should be; is plea bargaining.

No matter how horrendous the crime (child molestation is the most frequent) these pedophiles are allowed to plead guilty to lesser charges in return for lighter sentences.

Charles Manson was sentenced to life without parole, but every so often he gets to appear before a parole board to explain why he feels it is now safe for him to return to a life among the public.

None of this makes any sense.

In certain instances "if you can't do the time; don't do the crime" really does apply and the full sentence should be carried out.; Reply to this comment


by violist47 April 25, 2012 11:56 PM EDT: The death penalty has never worked as a deterent. It certainly did not
deter the rape and murder of the Petit family.; Reply to this comment


by katnaper April 25, 2012 10:11 PM EDT: He signed it because he doesn't care that 62% of the voters want the death penalty option.; Reply to this comment


by cascadia69 April 25, 2012 9:50 PM EDT: Great! A further step by this country out of the barbaric muck of legalized murder. The rest of America should follow suit at once.; Reply to this comment


by cascadia69 April 25, 2012 9:50 PM EDT: Great! A further step by this country out of the barbaric muck of legalized murder. The rest of America should follow suit at once.; Reply to this comment

by hicks76 April 25, 2012 9:40 PM EDT

Americans have become soft gutless...Not only is allowing vermin killers to live an affront to victims and their families, it is also a drain on the taxpayers....The two peices of garbage in Conn. will now continue to drain society while a mother and her 2 daughters (positive contributors to society) are dead.

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by cascadia69 April 25, 2012 9:52 PM EDT: YOU are the one who sounds like garbage! Christian, aren't ya?

by Homeless-Person April 25, 2012 8:06 PM EDT

These death penalty repeals are just a form of a no-confidence vote for our legal system. Seems we have been executing too many innocent people. When Illinos repealed the death penalty, a guy came from Canada, bought a gun, and killed his girlfriend all because he knew he could not be executed.

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by mecanik-2009 April 25, 2012 8:44 PM EDT: Exactly. Our legal system is so filled with corruption, ignorance and incompetence it has no business sentencing anyone to death. I support the death penalty on a moral level but not to the idiots running the legal system.


by taxed01 April 25, 2012 7:55 PM EDT: Ok to shoot-m-up in Conn now.; Reply to this comment

by michaelz06 April 25, 2012 5:33 PM EDT

Another bleeding heart liberal taking a step in the wrong direction.

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by hypnotoad72 April 25, 2012 5:48 PM EDT: How is he a "bleeding heart"? The bill doesn't apply to people currently awaiting it. Those 11 aren't calling him "bleeding anything"...

Still, with "corporate personhood" and all, expect the death penalty to be fully abolished...


by gwrigley April 25, 2012 8:58 PM EDT: I am very liberal on many issues, but not on crime. People who commit murders such as the one in CT on the Petit family do not deserve to live. The problem lies in the fact they allow so many appeals and they linger in jail for decades costing the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars between their keep and their attorney fees. After trial sentence should be carried out within one year. I don't understand why the state should be humane to animals that have no sense of humanity in the way they treat their victims. I would publicly hang them.

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