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The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty (CNADP) has been working to abolish the death penalty in Connecticut since 1986. We stand strongly opposed to the death penalty as it is poor public policy. The death penalty does not deter crime, it is not cost efficient, it kills the mentally ill, it is economically and racially biased, it kills the innocent, and it does not provide closure to families - it is simply revenge, not justice.
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Meet With Us in Hartford on September 9 This will be our Annual Business Meeting, location TBA. |
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CNADP Applauds Supreme Court Decision
The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty applauds today’s United States Supreme Court decision, Kennedy v. Louisiana, in which the Court struck down a Louisiana law that allowed capital punishment for rape cases where children are the victims. As was illustrated by the testimony in front of the Court, and reiterated by the Court in its decision, such a law would be extremely damaging for the victim of this crime and potential future victims, especially in light of the fact that in most cases of child rape the offender is either a family member or close family friend. The Court noted trends and the lack of trends in state legislation, the particular risk of wrongful convictions in child rape cases, and other issues in support of it decision. However, what is especially noteworthy about this decision is its apparently categorical nature. It seems to go farther than simply ruling the death penalty for child rape is unconstitutional. It actually bars the death penalty in instances where the victim’s life was not taken. (In its decision, the Court addressed only crimes against individuals; it does not address crimes like treason, which may be subject to the death penalty still). Furthermore, it should be noted that this is the fourth consecutive Supreme Court decision over a six year period that limits the scope of the death penalty as it concerns who is eligible to receive a death sentence. Starting in 2002, the Supreme Court of the United States has cited “the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society” and chosen to drastically limit the scope of the death penalty, which is precisely in line with the trend in the nation and the world towards abolition of the death penalty. These decisions follow the national trend which has seen the use of capital punishment decline over the last eight years. Since 2000, all the following numbers have dramatically dropped: the number of executions, the number of people on death row, the number of death sentences delivered, and the number of death sentences sought. This trend is a reflection of a changing culture that increasingly recognizes that the death penalty is irretrievably broken. It is a reflection of a culture that recognizes the death penalty as racially, economically, and geographically biased. And, it is a reflection of a culture that accepts the fact that capital punishment is poor public policy. |
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Troy Davis Update - Case of Probable Innocence in Georgia - Connecticut Must Act Soon to Help Stop This Execution
As many of you know, Troy Davis came 23 hours away from execution last July. Sadly, the Supreme Court of Georgia has refused to intervene. Therefore, Troy may be executed within the next few months, in spite of the fact that all the evidence points to his innocence. Many of you have been asking what can you do. So, here is what we can do. First, you need to go on Amnesty International's web site - www.aiusa.org - to sign the new petition for Troy. Then, you need to email the link to all your friends and/or write personal letters to the parole board asking for clemency for Troy, but email letters to lmoye@aiusa.org (Laura Moye). All letters and petitions will be hand delivered to Parole Board. Finally we have gotten a good deal on Billboards in Atlanta - right next the the offices of the Supreme Court and Governor. if you can PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TO INNOCENT MATTERS BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN FOR TROY it would be helpful. Go to www.troyanthonydavis.org and you will see the link to make a donation to the campaign as well as other things you can do to help. |
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U.S. Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Lethal Injection Case
On April 16, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in the case of Baze v. Rees, that lethal injection is constitutional as long as there is “no substantial risk of severe pain,” and as long as there is no alternative procedure which is “feasible, readily implemented, and in fact significantly reduced a substantial risk of severe pain.” The ruling features no fewer than seven separate opinions which debate both lethal injection and the constitutionality of the death penalty itself. It is far from clear what, if any, impact this decision will have on the death penalty or future litigation. It certainly does not impact the work of CNADP. Connecticut is a state that effectively does not practice capital punishment (the only execution in 45 years was a volunteer). Our work is focused on abolishing the death penalty from the statute books in our state. We will continue to work toward that goal. However, this decision does make one thing clear: there will be more and more litigation on this issue. Once again, the death penalty and the divisiveness around it has sentenced families of murder victims to decades more of suffering the process. |
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Judge Fuger's Decision
Read Judge Fuger's decision in the on-going law suit by death row inmates here in Connecticut Click here to read more. |
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New Jersey Abolishes the Death Penalty
Following a similar vote in the New Jersey Senate earlier this week, today, the General Assembly of New Jersey voted to abolish the death penalty. New Jersey now becomes the first state in the nation to legislatively abolish the death penalty since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, bringing the number of states to now have the death penalty down to 36. The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty applauds the legislature and governor of New Jersey and is hopeful that Connecticut will soon follow this action. The system of capital punishment in New Jersey was all but identical to that of Connecticut with one exception, nobody in New Jersey ever volunteered to be executed, so New Jersey has not executed anybody in the modern era. In their introduction of the bill in the General Assembly today, Assemblymen Wilfredo Caraballo (D) and Christopher Bateman (R) stated that the death penalty is not cost effective, is not a deterrent to crime, does not provide closure to the families, risked executing an innocent person, is prone to arbitrary decisions that has led to racial and geographic disparity, and cited a poll that showed that more people in New Jersey prefer the sentence to life without release over the death penalty. The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty recognizes that the death penalty in Connecticut is identical to that of New Jersey in every aspect mentioned above. The Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty wishes to congratulate the people of New Jersey for their enlightened leadership. |
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The Death Penalty is not Justice - For Anyone
Op-Ed piece published in the New Haven Register, September 27, 2007 Read it here. |
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2008 I Dream A World arts contest Results
This is a contest sponsored by the CT Network to Abolish the Death Penalty and the American Friends Service Committee and is for Connecticut high school students who want to express their ideas on peace, justice and the death penalty. The results of the contest are posted here. For more information on the contest, go to our website: http://www.afsc.org/ct/idream.htm |
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Stay Informed CNADP maintains an e-mail listserve which circulates current information on the death penalty in Connecticut. The listserve is used to send updates on death penalty related issues. Your privacy is important to us and your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone. To be included on the list, send a request to: naverobert@yahoo.com |
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Write Your Newspaper Editor and Legislator Let your legislator and newspaper editor know how you feel about the death penalty in Connecticut. Contact information for your legislators can be found here. It is important that your representatives know your position on this issue. Each of the newspapers in Connecticut is listed on this page. Write your newspaper editor today. |