Dear Governor Malloy: 

On behalf of The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, we urge your support of SB 280 revising the penalty for capital felonies.  

As you know, this bill abolishes the death penalty and makes life in prison without the possibility of release the maximum sentence; SB 280 would amend the general statues to replace the death penalty with a penalty of life imprisonment without the possibility of release for certain murders on or after the effective date of the act. 

This would provide for prospective abolition of the death penalty. SB 280 was endorsed by the Judiciary Committee on March 21 after a public hearing on March 14, 2012.  

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut testified, based on our 2006 state study which concluded by adoption of a position opposing the death penalty. We made following points in our testimony:

• The death penalty costs more than life imprisonment without parole.
  
• The death penalty causes additional harm to victim’s families, subjecting them to years of media attention and replaying of the crime while appeals are taken.
  
• The death penalty is not applied fairly and consistently without regard to race, gender or socio-economic status or geography.
• The death penalty as a deterrent is not provable. 

We are pleased that the legislature has acted to eliminate the death penalty prospectively.  

We are counting on you to fulfill the commitment you made to the people of Connecticut by signing into law SB 280 an Act allowing Connecticut to join 16 other states in abolishing the death penalty. 


Sincerely,


Cheryl Dunson, President
Naomi Schiff Meyers & Alison Rivard, Co-Directors of Social Policy
Ellen McBride, Death Penalty Specialist
League of Women Voters of Connecticut