| |
 |
| Death
Penalty: |
YES |
| Prohibit
Execution of the Mentally Retarded: |
YES. However, this state will need to redefine its definition of mental retardation to conform to the recent United States Supreme Court decision Atkins v. Virginia, which held that it is a violation of the United States Constitution to execute persons with an IQ of less than 70. |
| Life
Without Parole: |
YES |
| Minimum
Age to Eligible for the Death Penalty: |
18 |
| Number
on Death Row: |
7 |
| Race
of Defendants: |
3 black (43%), 3 white ( 43%), 1 Hispanic (14%) |
| Race
of Victims: |
86% white, 14% Hispanic |
| Racial
Make-up of State Population: |
77.5% White- not of Hispanic or Latino origin, Hispanic or Latino 9.4%, Asian 2.4%, Black 9.1% |
| Governor: |
John G. Rowland, (Republican),
|
| Presidential
Vote: |
56% Gore, 38% Bush, 4% Nader |
| Public
Opinion on the Death Penalty: |
Quinnipac University Polling Institute, April 23 2001:
59% - 33% in favour of 2 year moratorium
60% - 30% favour death penalty (11% undecided)
42% - 43% support death penalty when LWOP is the alternative
62% - 34% against the validity of the deterance theory
77% - 12% against executing the mentally retarded |
| Organizations
Endorsing a Moratorium: |
City of Hartford (Hartford)
City of New Haven
Benedictine Grange (Redding)
Connecticut Bar Association (New Britain)
Connecticut Catholic Women Against the Death Penalty (Wilton)
Connecticut Green Party, Southeast Connecticut Chapter
Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty (Hartford)
Daughters of the Holy Spirit, Leadership Team (Putman)
Mercy High School (Middletown)
People Against Injustice (New Haven)
Religious Society of Friends, Wilton Friends Meeting (Wilton)
School Sisters of Notre Dame, Provincial Assembly, CT (Wilton)
Sisters of Charity (SCMM) (New Haven)
St. Martin De Porres Catholic Worker (Hartford)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), New Haven Chapter (New Haven) |
| Organizations
Working FOR a Moratorium: |
CT Network to Abolish the Death Penalty (CNADP)
CT ACLU
CT Bar Association
CT Murder Victim's Families for Reconciliation (MVFR)
CT Public Defenders Office
CT Catholic Conference
Rep. Steve Lawlor (D-Joint Jud. Co-Chair)
Sen. Coleman (D-Joint Jud. Co-Chair) |
| Organizations
Working AGAINST a Moratorium: |
Gov. John Rowland
Survivors of Homicide (Sam Reager)
Sen. Joan Hartley (D - Waterbury)
Sen Steve Somma (R - Waterbury) |
| Clemency: |
The Board of Pardons has full authority to grant clemency. The Governor's only authority is his of her ability to grant reprieves. The reprieve is limited to the end of the following session of the general assembly. |
| Who
Decides Sentence: |
Jury. |
| Method
of Execution: |
Lethal Injection. |
