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Steven Hayes gets death penalty
11/8/10
After more than three days of deliberation, a jury in Connecticut Monday decided to condemn to death a man convicted of a brutal home invasion murder of a mother and her two daughters in 2007.
Steven Hayes was on parole when he broke into a home in the suburb of Cheshire, Conn., and killed Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, 17- and 11-year-old Hayley and Michaela.
Jurors in New Haven Superior Court reached a unanimous decision to give Hayes the death penalty.
One female juror wiped away tears and others were spotted comforting one another, ABC News reported.
Some members of the victims' family held their heads in their hands as the verdict was read, according to ABC.
Dr. William Petit, Hawke-Petit's husband and the father of the two girls who was beaten with a bat during the invasion but managed to escape, said he was thinking of his wife and daughters as the verdict was read.
"I was crying for our loss," he said. "Michaela was an 11-year-old little girl, tortured and killed in her own bedroom, surrounded by stuffed animals. Hayley had a great future. She was a strong and courageous person."
"I was glad for the girls that there was justice, because I think it was a just verdict," Petit said. "But mostly I was sad for the loss we have all suffered."
Hayes's lawyers argued that the 47-year-old should have been spared the death penalty because his mental capacity was significantly impaired due to child abuse.
They portrayed him as a bumbling drug addict caught up in a monstrous spiral of events escalated by his co-defendant, Joshua Komisarjevsky.
Lawyers also said Hayes was remorseful and wanted to be executed.
Prosecutors said both men were equally responsible and that the horrific nature of the crime demanded for the death penalty, saying the family was tortured and battered for hours before they were killed.
Hayes was convicted in October of raping Hawke-Petit and then strangling her to death.
Police said that both he and Komisarjevsky tied her two children to their beds, threw gasoline on them and lit the beds on fire.
Komisarjevsky is also accused of sexually assaulting Michaela, the younger daughter.
The girls died of smoke inhalation.
Komisarjevsky, 30, will be tried next year.
Hayes will join nine others on death row in Connecticut. State law allows for execution using lethal injection.
The state has only executed one man since 1960, meaning Hayes will likely spend many years in prison before facing execution.
Petit said he was comforted by the verdict, but said he had felt “insulted” when people had suggested that a death penalty verdict would offer him closure.
"There's never closure," he said. "There's a hole. There's a hole with jagged edges. Over time, the edges may smooth out, but the hole in your heart and the hole in your soul is always there."
With Wire News Services
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/11/08/2010-11-08_steven_hayes_gets_death_penalty_sentence_for_horrific_murder_of_petit_family_in_.html?r=news/national#ixzz14j39wE9s
After more than three days of deliberation, a jury in Connecticut Monday decided to condemn to death a man convicted of a brutal home invasion murder of a mother and her two daughters in 2007.
Steven Hayes was on parole when he broke into a home in the suburb of Cheshire, Conn., and killed Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, 17- and 11-year-old Hayley and Michaela.
Jurors in New Haven Superior Court reached a unanimous decision to give Hayes the death penalty.
One female juror wiped away tears and others were spotted comforting one another, ABC News reported.
Some members of the victims' family held their heads in their hands as the verdict was read, according to ABC.
Dr. William Petit, Hawke-Petit's husband and the father of the two girls who was beaten with a bat during the invasion but managed to escape, said he was thinking of his wife and daughters as the verdict was read.
"I was crying for our loss," he said. "Michaela was an 11-year-old little girl, tortured and killed in her own bedroom, surrounded by stuffed animals. Hayley had a great future. She was a strong and courageous person."
"I was glad for the girls that there was justice, because I think it was a just verdict," Petit said. "But mostly I was sad for the loss we have all suffered."
Hayes's lawyers argued that the 47-year-old should have been spared the death penalty because his mental capacity was significantly impaired due to child abuse.
They portrayed him as a bumbling drug addict caught up in a monstrous spiral of events escalated by his co-defendant, Joshua Komisarjevsky.
Lawyers also said Hayes was remorseful and wanted to be executed.
Prosecutors said both men were equally responsible and that the horrific nature of the crime demanded for the death penalty, saying the family was tortured and battered for hours before they were killed.
Hayes was convicted in October of raping Hawke-Petit and then strangling her to death.
Police said that both he and Komisarjevsky tied her two children to their beds, threw gasoline on them and lit the beds on fire.
Komisarjevsky is also accused of sexually assaulting Michaela, the younger daughter.
The girls died of smoke inhalation.
Komisarjevsky, 30, will be tried next year.
Hayes will join nine others on death row in Connecticut. State law allows for execution using lethal injection.
The state has only executed one man since 1960, meaning Hayes will likely spend many years in prison before facing execution.
Petit said he was comforted by the verdict, but said he had felt “insulted” when people had suggested that a death penalty verdict would offer him closure.
"There's never closure," he said. "There's a hole. There's a hole with jagged edges. Over time, the edges may smooth out, but the hole in your heart and the hole in your soul is always there."
With Wire News Services
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/11/08/2010-11-08_steven_hayes_gets_death_penalty_sentence_for_horrific_murder_of_petit_family_in_.html?r=news/national#ixzz14j39wE9s
I lived with my anger and guilt due to my child abuse until I was 47,I turned my destructive behaviour toward myself I would never hurt another person because of what happened to me.I tried to commit suicide at 12 because I didn't like me,and have had many suicidal thoughts but I levelled all my anger at myself not some innocent person.I just can't understand why anyone would want to harm another human being.
I saw a brief interview with the husband/father of the family slaughtered by these animals..he talked about the outcome a bit yesterday. I don't think I will ever forget the look on that poor man's face. He just looks...done, if you know what I mean. Yes, justice is being served, but clearly it doesn't really help him get through this. I doubt he ever will...how could you? I can't even fathom how he must feel.
Part of transitioning from childhood/youth to adulthood is learning to take responsibility for ourselves. Many of us had a tough time as kids, but for some reason we are able to say.."yes, it happened, it sucked, but I am moving on". Or, we choose to get therapy and help. For some what happened is so horrific, they never really get over it, but don't take that out on others. I just have to wonder why some are different. There are also cold blooded killers out there who had wonderful childhoods and loving families...and still they do awful things. So it just leads me to believe that some are born just wired wrong somehow...call it evil or whatever, but something is very very wrong in their brains. It frustrates me when these people get lighter sentences or even off because of what happened as kids. Perhaps that was a small part of it, but it can't be the whole reason. I went through several years where I was a very angry person...but I sure never wanted to hurt anyone. I did what grown ups do...sought help and worked through it. Why are some so different?
Part of transitioning from childhood/youth to adulthood is learning to take responsibility for ourselves. Many of us had a tough time as kids, but for some reason we are able to say.."yes, it happened, it sucked, but I am moving on". Or, we choose to get therapy and help. For some what happened is so horrific, they never really get over it, but don't take that out on others. I just have to wonder why some are different. There are also cold blooded killers out there who had wonderful childhoods and loving families...and still they do awful things. So it just leads me to believe that some are born just wired wrong somehow...call it evil or whatever, but something is very very wrong in their brains. It frustrates me when these people get lighter sentences or even off because of what happened as kids. Perhaps that was a small part of it, but it can't be the whole reason. I went through several years where I was a very angry person...but I sure never wanted to hurt anyone. I did what grown ups do...sought help and worked through it. Why are some so different?
So now, how many years of appeals does this guy get? We will pay for his care, his legal fees etc for another 7-14 years before they actually put him to death? I dont know what to think anymore. I dont believe in the death penalty but putting him on the front lines of one of the wars might not be a bad idea. being facetious here....
yah but these sick peolple think they can just use that sob story as an excuse for anything and everything they do now days. I hear it from my friends and brother. How life is so bad because my childhood suxed and thats why they do the things they do. Well let me tell you I was sexuallt abused, had a mother that didnt give a shi* and basicly raised my little brother or sister myself. I would and no way blame my past on what I make of my future!! They are just looking for a cruch. As Amanda said maybe they are just born evil.
That's what really gets me,my childhood wasn't the best either but that just made me more empathetic towards others,not want to hurt them.
Is it worse today?I don't know but we definitely hear about more sickos in the world,maybe it's just because the world is getting smaller due to all the technology.as for the sexual abuse of children,I think it is just more openly discussed now.
Is it worse today?I don't know but we definitely hear about more sickos in the world,maybe it's just because the world is getting smaller due to all the technology.as for the sexual abuse of children,I think it is just more openly discussed now.
It makes you wonder what makes someone do something like that...it was just so horrible, it's almost unimaginable. I too didn't have the easiest childhood but have no desire to hurt anyone. Just the opposite actually. Maybe there is such a thing as born evil.
For Real! And I am really tired of hearing their sob stories, maybe his mama should a cracked his but a little more often? This dude is pure devil!
I remember when this happened. Funny that something so tragic should be drawn out so long for the families:( He shouldnt have even had a trail!! That man is isck! Who thinks of that kind of tourcher?? I dont want to hear about his sad past and how is mama didnt love him. My childhood was hell but noone sees me out killing people! Thats just my 2 cents.
Is it just me or have you noticed how much more evil is in the world today as opposed to say 20 years ago? Or is it the technology that makes it seem that way?
What can you say,maybe they should put him with the drug addicted woman that put her 10 day old baby in the washing machine,let them do their sh*t to each other.
Sometimes I feel I just want to opt out of this life and find another human race somewhere,
Sometimes I feel I just want to opt out of this life and find another human race somewhere,
If there was ever evil in a human being, this guy and his accomplice is the pic of it. I cannot even begin to imagine that this guy would not get the death penalty.
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