Prison Safety Examined in Conn. Invasion Sentencing
Post a Comment
Photo Courtesy - Getty Images(NEW HAVEN, Conn.) -- Attorneys working to spare the life of convicted murderer Steven Hayes turned the heat on the Connecticut prison system Monday, grilling former corrections officials on inmate safety.
Retired corrections commissioner Theresa Lantz, first on the stand Monday morning for the defense, invoked notorious murderer Jeffrey Dahmer and de-frocked Boston pedophile priest John Geoghan as high-profile inmates who were brutally murdered while serving their sentences.
"It's a horrific crime that was committed," Lantz said when asked if she had any concerns for Hayes' safety in the wake of the July 2007 home invasion that left Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, dead. "When you have offenders with that type of a history...you're very concerned about their safety."
Monday kicked off the second week of testimony in the sentencing phase of Hayes' trial. The prosecution, which is pushing for the death penalty, rested its case the first morning after calling a clerk to read a list of Hayes' criminal convictions.
Closing arguments are expected to be held on Friday.
Copyright 2010 ABC News Radio
Reader Comments