"Repeal Of Death Penalty Clears Key Legislative Committee, is the title of Daniela Altimari's report for today's Hartford Courant.
The legislature's judiciary committee Tuesday endorsed a bill to repeal the state's death penalty statute, setting up a battle over the future of capital punishment.
The committee's approval was expected and came after nearly two hours of discussion.
Ben Jones, executive director of the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty, hailed the vote, saying it brings Connecticut a step closer to eliminating a failed public policy.
The measure, which needs approval from both the House and the Senate, would replace the death penalty with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. The House will take it up first.
This marks the second time in three years that lawmakers have considered repealing the death penalty. In 2009, both chambers passed a similar bill but it was vetoed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Her successor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, is an opponent of the death penalty and has said he will sign a repeal bill should one reach his desk.
Supporters of the repeal listed a number of reasons why Connecticut should join Illinois, New Jersey and New Mexico in abolishing the death penalty.
They cited the enormous amount of time it takes to execute a prisoner in this state, the painful toll that endless appeals take on the families of murder victims, instances of racial bias in implementing the death penalty and the fact that a mistake can lead to the execution of an innocent person.
"Death penalty repeal bill approved by Judiciary Committee," by Jacqueline Rabe for the CT Mirror.
Against the backdrop of the brutal Cheshire home invasion case, the legislature's Judiciary Committee Tuesday approved a bill that would abolish the death penalty--but only for future crimes.
Opponents argued that the prospective nature of the bill--it would eliminate the death penalty only for murders committed after it takes effect--is a tacit acknowledgment that some crimes are so horrific that only execution is a suitable punishment.
Several members cited the 2007 attack on the Petit family of Cheshire, in which a mother and her two daughters were murdered. Dr. William A. Petit was badly beaten, but survived and has become an outspoken proponent of capital punishment.
One of the attackers has been sentenced to death; the other is about to go on trial. Neither would be affected by the repeal bill.
But supporters of repealing the death penalty said the measure would avoid execution of innocent people and save the state the expense of years--sometimes decades--of trials and appeals.
The justice system "is not infallible. It is not perfect," said Sen. Eric Coleman, D-Bloomfield and co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He added that the $3.4 million the state spends each year related to enforcing the death penalty is "very costly."
But Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, whose district includes Northern Correctional Institution where the 10 current death row inmates are housed, said there will always be crimes "so horrific" where death is the only "appropriate" punishment.
And:
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree that the current capital punishment law is not working. Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, only one person has been executed in Connecticut: Michael Ross, who voluntarily suspended all appeals in his case.
However, they disagreed on the remedy.
"I think the only real answer here is to fix this" law, said Rep. Themis Klarides, R-Derby, an opponent of repeal.
Rep. Gerald M. Fox, D-Stamford and co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the constitutional safeguards built into the law are meant to ensure only those guilty are put to death.
But those safeguards, he said, make "a workable death penalty" almost impossible. So, he said, the only alternative is to have the maximum penalty be life in prison.
The proposal -- which was voted out of the judiciary committee 26-17 -- now heads to the state House of Representatives, where it is also expected to pass. The vote in the state Senate is expected to be close.
The AP report is, "Bill to repeal death penalty passes key committee vote," via the Day.
The state lawmaker leading the effort to repeal Connecticut's death penalty says the bill has received enough votes to clear a key legislative committee.
The Judiciary Committee acted on the proposal Tuesday, sending it to the House of Representatives.
New Haven Democratic Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield says he's optimistic the legislation, which replaces capital punishment with life in prison without the possibility of parole, will pass in the House.
Opponents of the bill hope to strip the repeal provision in the House and instead pass language streamlining the death penalty appeals process.
Earlier coverage from Connecticut begins at the link.
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