A few weeks ago the Judiciary Committee voted to repeal the death penalty. It wasn't the first time the committed passed such a bill along, but last time it was vetoed by the governor. Now, reports are stating there's a chance Connecticut could be the next to end application of the most severe form of punishments.

There hasn't been an execution in the state for fifty years, save one exception. “Connecticut's death penalty is a failed public policy,” says the executive director of the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty.

While there are a few arguments for retaining this age old penalty, there are many against it—namely its failure to prevent similar crimes and the seeming increasing likelihood that it be applied to the innocent (more than 250 people across the country have been exonerated since 1989).

According to the Middletown Press, sixteen states have abolished the death penalty thus far, a move that's been spurred by several arguments already mentioned and the fact that most “modern” nations around the world have long abandoned state-sponsored executions. Because of possible exoneration and the appeals processes associated with the death penalty, Connecticut pays an estimated $4 million annually just to have the law on the books.

This passing by the committee isn't the end of the road for the bill, it still has to make it through the Assembly and across the Governor's desk. Many are hopeful, however, that it will make that journey quickly.

It seems, through reading over arguments for and against capital punishment, that the only reason left for it is retribution. It doesn't prevent other crimes, it has historically been applied unfairly, and for some it's hypocritical to take the life of someone as punishment for taking the life of someone.

If repealed, the harshest criminal penalty will be life without the possibility of parole. However, there are harsh sentences doled out every single day in Connecticut courtrooms that don't quite add up to life imprisonment. After all, a few years behind bars is a significant sentence for the average person to even begin to contemplate.

When your life or even a few years of your life are on the line, you want to put your confidence in an attorney that has your best interests in mind, one that will fight for the best results on your case. If you're facing criminal charges, contact me today for a consultation.