Connecticut lawmakers vote to abolish the death penalty

[AnCap Dave]

Source

Lawmakers in Connecticut have passed and sent to the governor a bill to abolish the death penalty, a form of punishment dating back to the state's colonial era, the Hartford Courant reports.

Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy has pledged to sign the measure, adding Connecticut to 16 other states and the District of Columbia that have banished capital punishment.

The law would apply only to future cases and not to the 11 men currently on death row, the Courant says.

The newspaper notes that there has been only one execution in Connecticut in the past 50 years and that involved a serial killer who waived appeals.

Another prisoner was released after 20 years when he was cleared by DNA evidence, the newspaper notes.

The bill, which passed the Senate last week, was approved by the state House of Representatives late Wednesday after 10 hours of what the newspaper called "often gut-wrenching debate."

"There are many that believe by creating a law that allows us to take a life in exchange for a heinous act of murder ... is somehow protecting society and protecting ourselves,'' House Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey said near the end of debate. "With due respect to those who feel that way, I have to disagree."

Rep. Russ Morin countered that the tragedy of 9/11 helped steer his vote.

"I'm a man of faith and I won't tell you I haven't wrestled with my faith,'' Morin told fellow lawmakers."But I'm going to be clear: I'm not torn on this matter, not one bit."

He said his decision was rooted in a lesson learned in kindergarten: Actions have consequences. "The perpetrators of these types of heinous crimes have made their decision,'' he argued. "The decisions they've made must have these consequences."

The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill 86-62, largely along party lines.

Glad to see the death penalty is gone from Connecticut.

[MrBogosity]

One more down, 33 to go. Baby steps.

[Ibrahim90]

one less state executing potentially innocent people.

[BogosityForumUser]

As someone, I forgot whom, told me: "The difference between revenge and corporal and capital punishment is that instead of one citizen degrading himself to the same level as the one who caused the original harm, all citizens do for allowing it."  So true, even in the quoted article, the guy basically says they hurt someone, so we need to hurt them.