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| Connecticut repeals death penalty as abolitionists hail 'great step' | Connecticut repeals death penalty as abolitionists hail 'great step' |
| (12 months later) | |
| Connecticut has abolished the death sentence for all future cases, becoming the fifth state in five years to repeal the ultimate punishment as the abolition movement gathers steam across America. | Connecticut has abolished the death sentence for all future cases, becoming the fifth state in five years to repeal the ultimate punishment as the abolition movement gathers steam across America. |
| The governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy, described the death penalty as one of the "most compelling and vexing issues of our time", as he put his signature to SB280, rendering his state the 17th in America to make a break with judicial killings. The bill replaces the death sentence with life without parole for all new cases. | The governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy, described the death penalty as one of the "most compelling and vexing issues of our time", as he put his signature to SB280, rendering his state the 17th in America to make a break with judicial killings. The bill replaces the death sentence with life without parole for all new cases. |
| Unusually in a case of a state repealing the death sentence, Connecticut's 11 death row prisoners will remain facing execution as the new law is not retroactive. Politically it was deemed too controversial to extend the repeal to those already convicted. | Unusually in a case of a state repealing the death sentence, Connecticut's 11 death row prisoners will remain facing execution as the new law is not retroactive. Politically it was deemed too controversial to extend the repeal to those already convicted. |
| Among the most vociferous opponents of its repeal were Dr William Petit, who was the sole survivor of a brutal attack on his family home in 2007 in which his wife and two daughters were murdered. Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes are on death row for the notorious killings in Cheshire, Connecticut. | Among the most vociferous opponents of its repeal were Dr William Petit, who was the sole survivor of a brutal attack on his family home in 2007 in which his wife and two daughters were murdered. Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes are on death row for the notorious killings in Cheshire, Connecticut. |
| "We believe in the death penalty because we believe it is really the only true just punishment for certain heinous and depraved murders," Petit said earlier this month. | "We believe in the death penalty because we believe it is really the only true just punishment for certain heinous and depraved murders," Petit said earlier this month. |
| Despite the retention of Connecticut's death row in historic cases, abolitionists welcomed the state's move. Brian Evans of Amnesty USA said "we oppose executions in all circumstances, but for a state to abolish the death penalty going forward is still a great step for the US." | Despite the retention of Connecticut's death row in historic cases, abolitionists welcomed the state's move. Brian Evans of Amnesty USA said "we oppose executions in all circumstances, but for a state to abolish the death penalty going forward is still a great step for the US." |
| In the past few days significant moves towards repealing or questioning the death penalty in America have come thick and fast. | In the past few days significant moves towards repealing or questioning the death penalty in America have come thick and fast. |
| On Monday abolitionists in California succeeded in putting a question on the 6 November ballot that would replace capital punishment with life without parole for the state's 700 death row inmates. Also this week a judge in North Carolina issued the first ruling under that state's new Racial Justice Act. Judge Gregory Weeks took convicted murderer Marcus Robinson, who is black, off death row because he found prosecutors had deliberately limited the number of black jurors sitting on capital cases. | On Monday abolitionists in California succeeded in putting a question on the 6 November ballot that would replace capital punishment with life without parole for the state's 700 death row inmates. Also this week a judge in North Carolina issued the first ruling under that state's new Racial Justice Act. Judge Gregory Weeks took convicted murderer Marcus Robinson, who is black, off death row because he found prosecutors had deliberately limited the number of black jurors sitting on capital cases. |
| Last week the National Research Council released the findings of a major study that concluded that previous research over the past 30 years claiming the death penalty had a deterrent effect on murder rates was "fatally flawed". | Last week the National Research Council released the findings of a major study that concluded that previous research over the past 30 years claiming the death penalty had a deterrent effect on murder rates was "fatally flawed". |
| Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center said that this confluence of events was not a coincidence. "It is a reflection of the growing frustration in the death penalty and a realisation that the system isn't working," he said. | Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center said that this confluence of events was not a coincidence. "It is a reflection of the growing frustration in the death penalty and a realisation that the system isn't working," he said. |
| As he signed the Connecticut repeal legislation, Governor Malloy made an impassioned speech setting out his opposition to capital punishment in America. He said as a young man he had supported it, but his doubts as grown as he was working as a prosecutor in criminal cases. | As he signed the Connecticut repeal legislation, Governor Malloy made an impassioned speech setting out his opposition to capital punishment in America. He said as a young man he had supported it, but his doubts as grown as he was working as a prosecutor in criminal cases. |
| "I learned firsthand that our system of justice is very imperfect … subject to the fallibility of those who participate in it. I saw people who were poorly served by their counsel; people wrongly accused or mistakenly identified; I saw discrimination." | "I learned firsthand that our system of justice is very imperfect … subject to the fallibility of those who participate in it. I saw people who were poorly served by their counsel; people wrongly accused or mistakenly identified; I saw discrimination." |
| At the signing ceremony he was flanked by some of the more than 100 relatives of murder victims who had backed abolition in Connecticut. Malloy read a statement from one family member: "Now is the time to start the process of healing, a process that could have been started decades earlier with the finality of a life sentence." | At the signing ceremony he was flanked by some of the more than 100 relatives of murder victims who had backed abolition in Connecticut. Malloy read a statement from one family member: "Now is the time to start the process of healing, a process that could have been started decades earlier with the finality of a life sentence." |
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