Connecticut Legislature Considers Death Penalty Ban
an article by Tony Dominski

Michael Ross, a 45 year old Connecticut serial killer, is scheduled to be executed on May 11, 2005. His off-and-on-again appeals process and postponed execution dates, have energized local support against the death penalty.

On January 18, 2005 dozens of activists fanned out through the legislative building in Hartford, Connecticut's capital. Each wore a red sticker pleading "Don't Kill in My Name". The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty was formed almost 20 years ago, but recently its membership has doubled and its mission has gained fresh purpose. Connecticut's most recent execution took place in 1960.

Advocacy groups for Don't Kill in My Name have been staging rallies across the state. Some 300 criminal defense lawyers signed a resolution last week to abolish capital punishment. Churches and synagogues held vigils, and the Catholic archbishop of Hartford is distributing petitions to end state executions.

This advocacy has prompted the Connecticut Legislature to take up HB6012, a bill banning the death penalty. All but two of 74 speakers at the judiciary committee's hearing in Hartford spoke in favor of the bill: "I'm here to tell you that I never met an inmate for whom I had no hope," said Mary Morgan Wolff, state deputy warden. It is likely HB6012 will pass, but it faces a potential veto by Republican Governor Jodi Rell who was in favor of Ross’s execution.

People in Connecticut are ambivalent about the death penalty. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that Connecticut voters supported capital punishment in theory (59% to 31%), but preferred the penalty for murder to be a life sentence without parole rather than execution (49% to 37%).

Abolition of the death penalty is an important step towards a non-killing society. It is encouraging that Connecticut is so close to this milestone for a Culture of Peace.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

Are non-killing societies possible?


As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed:

NON-VIOLENCE

Latest reader comment:

I wanted to pass on some good news found in Christian Science Monitor, 1/12/07: "The number of conflicts in Africa has dropped to just five in 2005, from a peak of 16 in 2002."
Ann McLaughlin, Director, NGOabroad

This report was posted on March 7, 2005. The moderator is Julie Friedlander.

If you wish to start a new discussion topic on this article, please copy the title of this article which is Connecticut Legislature Considers Death Penalty Ban and its number which is 234 and enter this information along with your discussion question and a brief text on the new topic form.

A few stories are retained on the main listings if they are considered by readers to be a priority. If you have not already done so, please take the time to check a box below: should this article be considered as a priority?