After a lengthy nine and a half-hour debate in the House Chamber, State Representative Michael Molgano voted with the majority of his colleagues in the State Legislature in favor of a bill which would abolish the use of the Death Penalty in Connecticut.
During the debate, Rep. Molgano, who represents Stamford in the General Assembly, thoroughly expressed his personal struggle with the issue to his fellow legislators in the House Chamber.
“I would never attempt to put myself in the position of those who are living with the loss of a loved one by the heinous act of an offender. I can only offer my sincere condolences and prayers to these families,” said Molgano. “I can fully understand cries of outrage and a vehement petition for a sentence of execution; they are reasonable responses to such unspeakable cruelty.”
Senate Bill 280 – An Act Revising The Penalty For Capital Felonies, eliminates the death penalty as a sentencing option for a capital felony committed on or after the bill’s effective date, thus leaving life imprisonment without the possibility of release as the penalty and renames the crime of capital felony as murder with special circumstances.
Molgano went on to explain his position and the position of his constituents who have contacted him to discuss the issue over the past several weeks.
“I along with many I represent do not support the death penalty but fully defend just punishment to redress offenders for the crimes they have committed. This is why I believe life imprisonment without the possibility of release is a severe and appropriate sentence for those deserving permanent exile from society,” said Molgano. “Connecticut does possess a strong penal system, and life imprisonment allows our state to preserve life while permitting justice to be served to the fullest extent of the law. Senate bill 280 as amended works toward measures that value life while upholding justice and that is why I will be voting yes.”
The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Malloy before becoming established as law.
