The State Senate approved a bill to repeal early Thursday morning with a 20-16 vote after 10 hours of debate, according to the Connecticut Post.
The bill includes a Republican amendment that would keep current death row inmates in line for execution. It will now be sent to the House of Representatives for approval and is expected to be up for debate next week. Gov. Malloy has said that he would once it reached his desk.
Sen. Edwin A. Gomes, D-Bridgeport described the death penalty as a "permanent" action—one that wouldn't bring criminals' victims back to life.
Dr. William Petit, whose wife and two young daughters were , spoke Wednesday morning against the plan to end capital punishment in Connecticut.
"We believe in the death penalty because we believe it is really the only true just punishment for certain heinous and depraved murders,'' Petit said, according to the Hartford Courant.
