LWVCT Urges Governor Malloy to Sign Death Penalty Abolition into Law

04/16/2012

 
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
 

League Supports SB 280. Revising Penalty for Capital Felonies

03/12/2012

 

CGA JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
PUBLIC HEARING March 14, 2012

Support for: SB 280,  AA REVISING THE PENALTY FOR CAPITAL FELONIES

Comments submitted by Ellen W. McBride, Death Penalty Specialist, LWVCT

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut, (LWVCT) a statewide organization with over 1800 members appreciates the opportunity to comment upon the bills that are before the Committee. The League strongly supports SB 280.

The League believes that capital punishment should not be a sentencing option for murder or any
other crime. A sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release is punishment that
ensures public safety without raising the many complex problems associated with the death
penalty. Until the death penalty in Connecticut is abolished, the League of Women Voters of
Connecticut supports an immediate moratorium on executions.

The League has studied the issue of capital punishment and has concluded the following:
  • The death penalty costs more than life imprisonment without parole. The General Assembly’s Office of Fiscal Analysis estimated that the death penalty cost the state of Connecticut four million dollars a year to maintain.
  • The death penalty causes additional harm to murder victim’s families by subjecting them to years of media attention and replaying of the crime while appeals are made. This is not swift justice. The needs of these families are not met.
  • Connecticut has convicted innocent people of murder. It takes years to undo such convictions if it can be done.
  • The death penalty as a deterrent is not provable.
  • The death penalty is not applied fairly and consistently without regard to race, gender, socio-economics or geography.
SB280 would abolish the death penalty and make life in prison without the possibility of release the maximum sentence. SB 280 would amend the general statutes to replace the death penalty with a penalty of life imprisonment without the  ossibility of release for certain murders committed on or after the effective date of the act. This would provide for prospective abolition of the death penalty. The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges you to vote “YES” on this bill.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important bill.
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Support for SB 1035 and HB 6425

03/07/2011

 
CGA JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
MARCH 7, 2011 PUBLIC HEARING 

Support for:  
SB 1035 AA REPEALING THE DEATH PENALTY
HB 6425 AA REVISING THE PENALTY FOR CAPITAL OFFENSES

Comments submitted by Ellen W. McBride, Death Penalty Specialist

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut appreciates the opportunity to comment today on SB 1035 and HB 6425 which would replace the death penalty in capital felony cases with life imprisonment without the possibility of release.  We urge your support for these bills.
  
The League believes that capital punishment should not be a sentencing option for murder or any other crime. A sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release is punishment that ensures public safety without raising the many complex problems associated with the death penalty. Until the death penalty in Connecticut is abolished, the League supports 
an immediate moratorium on executions.

During the League’s 2006 state study of the death penalty the following points were made:
 The death penalty costs more than life imprisonment without parole. The General Assembly’s Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates that the death penalty costs the state of Connecticut four million dollars a year to maintain. 
 The death penalty causes additional harm to murder victims’ families by subjecting them to years of media attention and replaying of the crime while appeals are made. This is not swift justice. The needs of these families are not met. 
 Connecticut has convicted innocent people of murder. It takes years to undo such convictions if it can be done.
 The death penalty as a deterrent is not provable.
 The death penalty is not applied fairly and consistently without regard to race, gender, socio-economics or geography.  The League strongly supports both SB 1035 and HB 6425.  SB 1035 would abolish the death penalty and make life in prison without the possibility of parole the maximum sentence.  

HB  6425 would amend the general statutes to replace the death penalty with a penalty of life imprisonment without the possibility of release for certain murders committed on or after the effective date of the act.  Both bills would provide for prospective abolition of the death penalty. 

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges you to vote YES on these bills.

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on these important bills.