The court ruled that the death penalty is unconstitutional. The main effect of the ruling is on those put on death row before the state repealed the death penalty in 2012.
The death chamber at the state prison in Jackson, Georgia.
Ric Feld / ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the state's death penalty violates the state's constitution, sparing the lives of the 11 men on death row. The legislature had repealed the death penalty for future sentences in 2012, but left open the possibility that those sentenced prior to then could be executed.
Inmates who were sentenced to death before the repeal argued that executing them based on the date of the sentence would be an arbitrary distinction. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled Thursday that "new insights," along with the legislature's ban, show that "the death penalty no longer can be justified as a necessary or appropriate tool of justice."
"Although the prospective nature of [the repeal] reflects the intent of the legislature that capital punishment shall die with a whimper, not with a bang, its death knell has been rung nonetheless," the ruling states. "Our elected representatives have determined that the machinery of death is irreparable or, at the least, unbecoming to a civilized modern state."
The issue over whether a death penalty repeal applies to those sentenced prior is one that another state faces as well. The Nebraska legislature repealed the death penalty earlier this year, although its governor believes he will still be able to execute those on death row.
Source BuzzFeed - Politics http://ift.tt/1IKUnvH
0 comments:
Post a Comment