The Hartford Courant carries an AP report, "Murder Victims' Families Seek Death Penalty Repeal."
The families of murder victims are gathering at the state Capitol to voice support for repealing Connecticut's death penalty.
The group is scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday.
Seventy-six people who have all lost loved ones to murder have signed a letter saying capital punishment in Connecticut offers a "false promise that goes unfilled," leaving the families frustrated and angry after fighting the legal system for years.
"Letter aims to end death penalty," is the Norwich Bulletin article by Greg Smith.
A bill to repeal the state’s death penalty is once again stirring debate at the state Capitol.
A press conference is planned for today at the state legislative office building, where death penalty opponents will try to rally support behind a repeal. Organized by the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty, the meeting will feature six speakers. They are among the 76 family members of murder victims who signed a letter in support of a repeal.
“This is our best opportunity ever to repeal the death penalty,” said Ben Jones, head of the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty.
“We have a real shot this year,” Jones said. “Our position is it is a system broken beyond repair. It’s costly. There’s a risk of executing an innocent person. It’s often discriminatorily applied.”
In 2009, both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly voted to repeal the state's death penalty. Then-Governor Jodi Rell vetoed the measure. Connecticut's new governor, Dannel Malloy, has said that he morally opposed to capital punishment and would sign a repeal measure.
Coverage of the 2009 Connecticut votes to repeal begins at the link.
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