House Republican Press Release
August 1, 2007
Press Office: 860-240-8700
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Rep. Hamzy: Cheshire Home Invasion Murders Highlight Need for Tougher Three Strikes and Out Law |
Current Law Doesn’t Deter Violent Criminals; Fails to Protect Public
The recent home invasion murders in Cheshire underscore the need for a tougher ‘three strikes and you’re out’ law that will keep violent repeat offenders behind bars for years at a time where they cannot harm law-abiding citizens, state Representative William A. Hamzy said today.
“In the aftermath of the brutal murders in Cheshire last week, some liberal state legislators have been defending laws that are currently on the books as adequate to protect the public from repeat violent offenders like the two individuals who were arrested in connection with this vicious crime,’ said Representative Hamzy, R-78th District. “I do not agree. Repeat violent offenders simply cannot be rehabilitated and need to be kept under lock and key until they are too old to be serious threats to law-abiding citizens like Dr. William Petit and his wife and two daughters.”
“If Connecticut had a meaningful ‘three strikes and you’re out’ law on the books, the suspects in the Cheshire case would still be behind bars and Dr. Petit’s family would be alive and well,” Representative Hamzy said. “We need a tougher ‘three strikes and you’re out law’ that does not give discretion to judges and prosecutors in applying it to violent, repeat offenders.”
“While some may consider burglary to be a non-violent offense, I would argue that violence can occur during a burglary if someone happens to be at home when a burglar breaks in. If that happens, it is very likely that a family member could be confronted and attacked by the burglar, with possibly tragic consequences,” Representative Hamzy said. “For that reason, I believe the law also should be changed to include burglary convictions as one of the felonies that help bring the ‘three strikes and you’re out law’ into play when a repeat offender is sentenced.”