Record-Journal
08-01-2007, 11:42 PM
Democratic lawmakers are not opposed to holding a special session to address stronger criminal sanctions for repeat offenders, but they want to make sure they have all the facts.
"We want to make sure we do it right," said House Majority Leader Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden.
Since the death of three in a Cheshire home invasion last week, discussion in Hartford has focused on the criminal justice system.
The two men who allegedly killed three members of the Petit family were out on parole when the Petit home went up in flames and the family members were killed.
State officials say some information about their criminal backgrounds was not given to the Board of Pardons and Parole when the board granted their paroles. (Please see related story on page 7.)
Lawmakers are seriously looking into the matter, Donovan said. But before the General Assembly looks to change laws, it needs to find out where there was a breakdown, he said.
"We need to make sure we enforce the laws we have now," Donovan said.
Republicans, however, are already calling for change.
In a July 31 letter to Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, and Speaker of the House James A. Amann, D-Milford, the Senate's minority leader requested that the Democratic leaders call for a special session to discuss the state's persistent offender laws, particularly the "three strikes" law.
Sen. John McKinney, R-Southport, said Senate Republicans want to consider strengthening the "three strikes" law, a proposal made by Sen. Sam S. Caligiuri, R-Waterbury.
"We don't have a true three-strikes-you're-out law," Caligiuri said Wednesday.
Caligiuri maintains that Connecticut's "three strikes" law gives courts discretion when there really should be mandatory sentencing.
Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee, said the state's law applies to violent offenders and allows prosecutors to seek a full life sentence if a person has previously been convicted of two violent felonies and then is convicted of a third.
Connecticut also has a "persistent serious felony offender" law, which allows prosecutors to seek doubled sentences if someone has been convicted of, and incarcerated for, one previous violent or nonviolent felony.
While Caligiuri said it is important for lawmakers to be careful when tweaking the law, he said there is no reason to wait until next year to do so. Democratic and Republican leaders should be able to sit down with criminal justice experts and come up with what needs to be fixed, Caligiuri said. Having a tougher "three strikes" law by early September should be the goal, he said.
Senate Minority Leader Pro Tem Leonard A. Fasano, R-North Haven, agreed.
"I think it is responsible, required action," he said. <BR>
Fasano noted that when a dump truck slammed into a line of cars on Avon Mountain in 2005, the General Assembly was quick to act. He asked what the difference is now.
"Residents need to know they are safe," Fasano said.
A long-term investigation is not what Connecticut needs, but that is what Democrats are calling for, he said.
There are a lot of issues here, and lawmakers are taking the time to sort everything out, said Sen. Thomas P. Gaffey, D-Meriden. The Republicans' press releases and news appearances came too quickly, he added.
"I found it inappropriate and insensitive for any politician to be on camera the day after this occurred," he said of the Cheshire home invasion.
Donovan said Republicans are ignoring the real issue.
"They are glossing over the mistake that was made with the parole board," he said.
Caligiuri disagrees, saying that he was the first person to ask the state parole board for more information on the two men arrested.
"That's nonsense - at least as far as this Republican is concerned," he said.
"We want to make sure we do it right," said House Majority Leader Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden.
Since the death of three in a Cheshire home invasion last week, discussion in Hartford has focused on the criminal justice system.
The two men who allegedly killed three members of the Petit family were out on parole when the Petit home went up in flames and the family members were killed.
State officials say some information about their criminal backgrounds was not given to the Board of Pardons and Parole when the board granted their paroles. (Please see related story on page 7.)
Lawmakers are seriously looking into the matter, Donovan said. But before the General Assembly looks to change laws, it needs to find out where there was a breakdown, he said.
"We need to make sure we enforce the laws we have now," Donovan said.
Republicans, however, are already calling for change.
In a July 31 letter to Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, and Speaker of the House James A. Amann, D-Milford, the Senate's minority leader requested that the Democratic leaders call for a special session to discuss the state's persistent offender laws, particularly the "three strikes" law.
Sen. John McKinney, R-Southport, said Senate Republicans want to consider strengthening the "three strikes" law, a proposal made by Sen. Sam S. Caligiuri, R-Waterbury.
"We don't have a true three-strikes-you're-out law," Caligiuri said Wednesday.
Caligiuri maintains that Connecticut's "three strikes" law gives courts discretion when there really should be mandatory sentencing.
Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee, said the state's law applies to violent offenders and allows prosecutors to seek a full life sentence if a person has previously been convicted of two violent felonies and then is convicted of a third.
Connecticut also has a "persistent serious felony offender" law, which allows prosecutors to seek doubled sentences if someone has been convicted of, and incarcerated for, one previous violent or nonviolent felony.
While Caligiuri said it is important for lawmakers to be careful when tweaking the law, he said there is no reason to wait until next year to do so. Democratic and Republican leaders should be able to sit down with criminal justice experts and come up with what needs to be fixed, Caligiuri said. Having a tougher "three strikes" law by early September should be the goal, he said.
Senate Minority Leader Pro Tem Leonard A. Fasano, R-North Haven, agreed.
"I think it is responsible, required action," he said. <BR>
Fasano noted that when a dump truck slammed into a line of cars on Avon Mountain in 2005, the General Assembly was quick to act. He asked what the difference is now.
"Residents need to know they are safe," Fasano said.
A long-term investigation is not what Connecticut needs, but that is what Democrats are calling for, he said.
There are a lot of issues here, and lawmakers are taking the time to sort everything out, said Sen. Thomas P. Gaffey, D-Meriden. The Republicans' press releases and news appearances came too quickly, he added.
"I found it inappropriate and insensitive for any politician to be on camera the day after this occurred," he said of the Cheshire home invasion.
Donovan said Republicans are ignoring the real issue.
"They are glossing over the mistake that was made with the parole board," he said.
Caligiuri disagrees, saying that he was the first person to ask the state parole board for more information on the two men arrested.
"That's nonsense - at least as far as this Republican is concerned," he said.