House Republican Press Release

April 25, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Klarides: Three Strikes Defeated Again in House

HARTFORD- Deputy House Republican Leader Themis Klarides (R-Derby) expressed disappointment today that House Democrats once again defeated the Three Strikes proposal, this time in the form of an amendment to a criminal justice bill on the House floor.  The measure would require mandatory life in prison upon conviction of a third violent felony.  Republicans offered the amendment on the floor of the State House of Representatives early Friday evening.

“Here we are approaching a year after the murders in Cheshire that caused us to reexamine our criminal justice laws, and we haven’t gotten very far,” said Klarides.  “The majority have refused to pass a tough ‘Three Strikes’ measure four times now since January.  Each time we get a new bill we get slight improvements with regards to obtaining tougher sentences for persistent violent offenders, but there is apparently no will here to make certain that someone convicted of a third violent offense is put away for good.”

The amendment failed by a vote of 77-63, with al Republican members voting in favor.

The underlying bill which makes some criminal justice improvements and sets minimum penalties for persistent dangerous felony offenders, increasing the maximum penalties for some passed by a vote of 128-12. 

The 2008 session of the Connecticut General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn at midnight on Wednesday, May 7^th.