By Frank Juliano Connecticut Post
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2008 08:22:06 PM EDT
MILFORD -- The sister of Dr. William Petit, whose wife and two daughters were killed in a Cheshire home invasion, told a City Hall rally Thursday morning that the state needs a true "three strikes and you're out'' law for persistent, violent criminals.
"People think it's because of the horrific crimes that took the lives of my brother's family, but what happened made me more aware of the victims of crime, who themselves serve a life sentence in their grief," Joanna Petit-Chapman said.
The Petit family was attacked in their home early in the morning of July 23, 2007, by two men who had been recently paroled.
The men killed the three females; the daughters by burning them with gasoline.
"This is common-sense legislation; it is not a Republican or Democrat issue,'' she said. "People who have committed three violent crimes have lost the right to live in our society. They are not the people we want as neighbors.''
Petit-Chapman was flanked by state Sen. Sam Caligiuri, R-Waterbury, chairman of the Three Strikes Now Coalition, and Vincent Marino, the Republican candidate for the 14th District seat.
Marino pledged Thursday to support and to vote for "three strikes'' legislation if he is elected Nov. 4. Caligiuri said that he and a member of the Petit family will hold a press conference with any candidate who pledges to support the measure, regardless of party.
Dr. William Petit appeared at a similar rally Tuesday at Cheshire
Article Last Updated: 10/16/2008 08:22:06 PM EDT
MILFORD -- The sister of Dr. William Petit, whose wife and two daughters were killed in a Cheshire home invasion, told a City Hall rally Thursday morning that the state needs a true "three strikes and you're out'' law for persistent, violent criminals.
"People think it's because of the horrific crimes that took the lives of my brother's family, but what happened made me more aware of the victims of crime, who themselves serve a life sentence in their grief," Joanna Petit-Chapman said.
The Petit family was attacked in their home early in the morning of July 23, 2007, by two men who had been recently paroled.
The men killed the three females; the daughters by burning them with gasoline.
"This is common-sense legislation; it is not a Republican or Democrat issue,'' she said. "People who have committed three violent crimes have lost the right to live in our society. They are not the people we want as neighbors.''
Petit-Chapman was flanked by state Sen. Sam Caligiuri, R-Waterbury, chairman of the Three Strikes Now Coalition, and Vincent Marino, the Republican candidate for the 14th District seat.
Marino pledged Thursday to support and to vote for "three strikes'' legislation if he is elected Nov. 4. Caligiuri said that he and a member of the Petit family will hold a press conference with any candidate who pledges to support the measure, regardless of party.
Dr. William Petit appeared at a similar rally Tuesday at Cheshire
Town Hall, where state Rep. Alfred Adinolfi, R-Cheshire, announced that he had signed the pledge. Caligiuri, whose district includes Cheshire, said that 60 candidates have responded to the pledge sent by the coalition sent to everyone running for a seat in the state House or Senate.
Among those listed on the coalition Web site who voted against the measure last year but now say that they will support it is Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Bethany, whose district includes much of the lower Naugatuck Valley. Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, said the law passed by the Legislature in the wake of the Cheshire home invasion strengthens "three strikes'' protections by making home invasion a specific crime with a minimum 10-year prison sentence, creating a full-time parole board and adding money for re-entry programs for released convicts.
The bill she voted against was not endorsed by a study panel that included prosecutors and law enforcement officials, Slossberg said.
But Marino, who said he decided to run for the Senate seat when he saw fear in his wife's eyes after the Cheshire tragedy, said that the current law gives too much discretion to appointed judges.
"This is an issue for the people of the state. It is time that we get to determine what happens to these persistent, violent offenders, not to leave it up to appointed officials.''
Petit-Chapman agreed: "The present law is a step in the right direction. But it doesn't go far enough. That law doubles the minimum sentences for these crimes, but we're saying we need to have persistent, violent offenders removed from
society.''
Caligiuri said only a narrow category of very serious crimes would be covered by the proposed law. "We're not talking about stealing a loaf of bread.''
Among those listed on the coalition Web site who voted against the measure last year but now say that they will support it is Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Bethany, whose district includes much of the lower Naugatuck Valley. Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford, said the law passed by the Legislature in the wake of the Cheshire home invasion strengthens "three strikes'' protections by making home invasion a specific crime with a minimum 10-year prison sentence, creating a full-time parole board and adding money for re-entry programs for released convicts.
The bill she voted against was not endorsed by a study panel that included prosecutors and law enforcement officials, Slossberg said.
But Marino, who said he decided to run for the Senate seat when he saw fear in his wife's eyes after the Cheshire tragedy, said that the current law gives too much discretion to appointed judges.
"This is an issue for the people of the state. It is time that we get to determine what happens to these persistent, violent offenders, not to leave it up to appointed officials.''
Petit-Chapman agreed: "The present law is a step in the right direction. But it doesn't go far enough. That law doubles the minimum sentences for these crimes, but we're saying we need to have persistent, violent offenders removed from
society.''
Caligiuri said only a narrow category of very serious crimes would be covered by the proposed law. "We're not talking about stealing a loaf of bread.''
