The prevailing fact here is a strong majority of state residents do not want the death penalty abolished, a recent poll shows that number at just about 70%. Any action by legislature to abolish it at this point would show that these law makers are not upholding their oaths to represent their constituents. The residents of CT have been loud and clear on the death penalty. So instead of attempts to abolish it, time should be better spent, fixing it.

I am in favor of the death penalty; but, not in favor of the long process of the appeal system. Unfortunately, the process goes on for years and years, leaving the victim's family in a state of limbo awaiting the final act of justice.
I was not aware that victim statements, SB1029, are not allowed in death penalty cases. Why? The family should have the right to face and voice their feelings about the horrific event that has brought them to this day in court. Too often the victim and their family is forgotten in favor of the criminal's rights. Where were the victims rights on the day they died? It seems a small action for those not intimately involved; but a huge statement for the family to finally have their say! Please consider voting in favor of allowing families to have a victim's impact statement in death penalty cases. Obviously, the death penalty has to remain on the books in CT. and therefore, the death penalty should remain the highest form of punishment.

I don't understand the opponents of death penalty repeal making the argument that a prospective bill will affect the cases already on death row. As you pointed out no one in the state gets executed at all no matter what unless they give up their appeals and want to die. Our state never does it ever. So why would we want to put the victim families through years of intense media attention with no end in sight. At least a sentence of life without possibility of release begins right away. As you pointed out we can't shorten the process knowing that our state has also wrongfully convicted people that then took two decades to come to light. The death penalty is a disaster and a waste of our valuable resources.

It seems ludicrous that in an era of fiscal constraint that we would waste our money on a punishment so infrequently imposed and even less carried out, in light of where the monetary savings could be better utilized. As Atty. Sheck pointed out, there is new evidence that the "science" that has been used in criminal cases to obtain convictions is coming under intense scrutiny, just as forensic labs have been found to have issued incorrect findings/conclusions, while severely backlogged and lacking in the scientific advancements that are being discovered. The money we save could be used to update these labs (which would lead to more secure convictions), more money for police training and retention (for programs/initiatives that we know work), and for providing victim services which we know are severely lacking. The recognition of these issues is in large part that which led the State of Illinios to abolish their death penalty just last week. The money that they will save will be redirected to police training and victim services. There is much that we can learn from simply opening our eyes to what the rest of the country is doing, rather than focusing on a single case which has distorted our ability to think clearly and act rationally.

"Atty Sheck." Sheck lost all credibility when he participated in the defense of OJ Simpson. He admitted at the Death Penalty hearing last week that his work on the Dream Team was not his proudest moment. Why not, I wonder?

I want my tax dollars to be spent on preventing crime and making sure our police officers have the resources they need to keep my neighborhood safe. I want my police officers well trained and I want our state to be able to afford to put a critical mass of them on the streets. The death penalty is a distraction from the real work of keeping us safe.

It's really very simple: you speed up the appeals process, and eventually an error will be made. When are we going to stop tinkering with this failure of a public policy? It doesn't work in Connecticut -- it doesn't work ANYWHERE. States with the death penalty have higher murder rates than those without. All this time and energy spent arguing about how to fix something that can't be fixed. It's time to move on.

The death penalty is poor public policy and it cannot be "fixed." It is biased racially, economically, and geographically. It runs the risk of executing the innocent. It doesn't make us safer and it does nothing to benefit the families of murder victims. The money wasted on this unnecessary killing could be better spent on law enforcement and aid to victims' families. In the final analysis, the only credible reason to support the death penalty is vengeance.

It is unfortunate that a few lawyers who oppose the death penalty have figured out that they can log jam the process so much that the majority just give up.

While watching the judiciary committee hear testimony on another bill unrelated to capital punishment, I felt proud. These men and women, voted into the legislature by Connecticut citizens, are leaders in public policy and have a moral compass that is often denied or belittled in politics unless it is to beat a blind patriotic drum. As evidenced by the patient listening to long hours of testimony on the death penalty bills, these legislators not only represent Connecticut voters, but also want to hear what they have to say on particular legislation. The polls claiming CT residents support the death penalty are taken out of context, or are of limited context: the reality is that when those taking polls are offered "life without parole" as an option for certain offenders, the support for capital punishment drops significantly. This is most profoundly evidenced by the highly emotional issue of the heinous Cheshire murders: in our outrage we cry for revenge, which will neither bring back those murdered nor ease the suffering hearts of those they've left behind, as other murder victims' family members have testified. Those who declare the US the "greatest nation" should work harder to eliminate capital punishment, as it is shameful that among the most civilized nations in the world, we rank so low on human rights, due in part to our continued use of capital punishment.

Good Grief!! Enough already! These committee members were elected to represent the people of this good state. So has the governor. This issue should be decided by the people and the question should be on the ballot come election day.
Sign me a FED UP VOTER.

If i knew that murders would be put into isolation with the pictures of the person they murdered on the wall, if i knew they had no access to tv or books or family, no access to exercise. three minimal meals a day, i might consider no death penality. but they can write letters see their families eat well, make friends practice their religion and god knows what else. my daughter is a pile of ashes she can do nothing. her children cant visit her, i cant hug her one more time. so until they change death row i say they deserve to die.