Connecticut Local Politics

The Courant reports that Governor Rell is considering a full or partial veto of the criminal justice bill based by the General Assembly last week due to the cost.
The bill, passed in response to home invasions in Cheshire and New Britain, toughens the penalties for repeat violent offenders. But what’s cause concern for Jodi Rell […]

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It looks like the debate between the governor and the Democrats over future changes to the criminal justice system have turned away from the “three strikes” law the governor has been pushing to reforms to the state’s existing persistent offender laws. Rell’s changed stance on the issue comes after she met with Chief State’s Attorney […]

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Rep. Chris Murphy has announced federal legislation to deal with home invasion and the parole system. According to a release:
Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) announced a pair of legislative initiatives designed to make home invasion a federal crime and provide additional federal resources and technology to parole and probation officials. Connecticut residents have witnessed […]

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The latest home invasion story:
A sex offender released from prison less than a month ago will face charges in the death of a 62-year-old woman abducted while having coffee at her friend’s New Britain home, prosecutors said Monday.
[…]
Williams was released March 4 from the medium-security Osborne Correctional Institution in Somers after serving eight years in […]

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Well, they didn’t like it any better the second time, apparently. Back in January, during the criminal justice reform special session, a three-strikes law was voted down by Democrats in both chambers. Today the Judiciary Committee killed a similar bill:
Judiciary Committee Co-Chairman Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, said the modifications the legislature made during the January […]

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I’ll admit this one’s personal for me because I have a daughter with Type 1 diabetes who is on the pump - but in case there are others out there in the same boat or if you have friends with diabetic kids on the pump, there’s a new bill (HB 5667) that’s being considered in […]

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Gov. Rell lifted the ban on parole today in the wake of a newly passed criminal justice reform law:
Rell said Sunday that the Board of Pardons and Paroles may begin processing parole applications from what she called appropriate violent offenders. She signed legislation Friday that passed the General Assembly just days earlier with strong bipartisan […]

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Here is an update from Paul Kiel:
But the Republicans objected to any of these [amendments] from coming up for a vote under simple majority rules.
Finally, about twenty minutes ago, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) moved for a vote on cloture — that would force an end to debate and trigger a simple majority vote […]

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Speaking of ways to keep people safe, I think this is a good one. The following is a release from the SOTS:
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz was joined today by legislators, state agency officials, and victims’ advocates to announce the re-launch of her office’s Safe at Home’ Address Confidentiality Program for victims of crimes […]

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Remember 95% agreement on criminal justice reform? That last five percent seems to be a real sticking point:
House Speaker James Amann said the two sides had agreed on 95 percent of the items, and the Republicans interpreted that statement to mean that the other 5 percent was the “three strikes and you’re out” proposal. Republicans […]

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As he should. Read this:
The test of whether an official is worthy of power is how he exercises it when the law shuts out public scrutiny. Connecticut U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Connor failed that test in 2005 when he thought no one was looking at his abuse of the USA Patriot Act. His own incompetence, however, […]

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It’s a common enough complaint: programs for ex-offenders trying to re-enter society aren’t plentiful enough. An article by Richard P Seiter and Karen R Kadela in the July, 2003 issue of the academic journal Crime and Delinquency notes that while programs to help offenders re-enter society were prevalent from the 1950s through the 1970s, their […]

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From the AP:
The governor and legislative leaders, responding to the deadly home invasion in Cheshire, said Tuesday there’s 95 percent agreement on a proposed package of criminal justice reform bills up for a vote later this month.

Lawmakers said a special legislative session could possibly be held Jan. 22 or Jan. 23.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said […]

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And here it is:
Dear Governor Rell:

As you are aware, the Judiciary Committee recently held its public hearing regarding potential reforms to our state’s criminal justice system, and our understanding is that your task force will be completing its own work this week on these matters.
In a special session to be held later this month, we […]

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Dr. William Petit sent an email to all the members of the Judiciary committee today, urging three specific reforms to the criminal justice system:
Petit listed three possible changes that he said are relatively simple and would make Connecticut a safer place.
First, he said the state needs to ensure that the persistent felon law is applied […]

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