Sen. Coleman Hails Signing of Death Penalty Repeal

[Steuber, Dave]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   Contact: Dave Steuber
Wednesday, April 25, 2012                                                               (860) 240-8616

Sen. Coleman Hails Signing of Death Penalty Repeal

HARTFORD – Senator Eric D. Coleman (D-Bloomfield), Senate Chairman of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today after joining Governor Dannel P. Malloy at a small, private ceremony for the signing of Public Act No. 12-5, An Act Revising the Penalty for Capital Felonies.

“From this day forward, life in prison without the possibility of parole will be the highest form of punishment handed down by the people and government of our state. It is a stern, appropriately strong sentence for the very worst of criminals. It punishes crime severely, without stooping to its level.

“In adopting this legislation, the State of Connecticut joins 16 other states, the District of Columbia, and most other industrialized democratic nations in embracing a fairer model of criminal justice. No longer will an irreversible punishment be issued arbitrarily, and more frequently, to the poor and to ethnic minorities. This is especially important given the fallibility of our criminal justice system.

“Although today’s action marks a great accomplishment for the advocates of repeal, it would be wrong not to recognize all of the strong and heart-felt arguments put forward by so many people on both sides of this issue. The debate over the death penalty is truly one of the great moral questions of our time.

“I would like to thank Governor Malloy for his signature today, along with all others who have supported this cause over many years.”

- END -

<<120425 Coleman Death Penalty Signing.doc>>

David Steuber
CT Senate Democratic Caucus
(860) 240-8616
www.senatedems.ct.gov
Facebook / Twitter