Connecticut

Connecticut officially became the fifth state in the past five years to abolish the death penalty after Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed the bill Wednesday at a private ceremony.

Earlier this month the state's Senate voted 20-16 in favor of removing capital punishment and making life imprisonment the maximum possible sentence for convicts – in the U.S., 16 other states in total have abolished the death penalty.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Malloy said he called the bill a "historic moment" for the state, and that it was a time "for sober reflection, not celebration." The ceremony was attended by lawmakers, members of clergy and the families of victims, The Associated Press reported. more >>

Connecticut is set to become the fifth U.S. state to abolish the death penalty after a 20-16 Senate vote Thursday morning boosted the proposal to remove capital punishment and make life imprisonment the maximum possible sentence for convicts.

Four other states in the last 5 years have repealed the death penalty – including, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico and Illinois, but 16 states in total have repealed capital punishment in the United States. The Hartford Courant reported that the legislation in Connecticut is largely expected to pass the House of Representatives, and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, has already said he is ready to sign the bill.

Some voters who changed their mind on capital punishment and now oppose it explained that their biggest concern was the possibility that a court's decision may be incorrect and an innocent person might be put to death. more >>

A Bible was set on fire beneath a Christmas tree in New Haven, Conn., at around midnight on Monday, causing $1,200 in damages, it was reported.

Police and firefighters responded to a call, and found a Bible soaked in some kind of fluid and placed on the feeder cables that power the lights around the tree. The power was turned off to prevent further damage, and responders extinguished the fire without much trouble.

The Parks Department has since repaired most of the damage and the 65-foot spruce tree’s lights have been restored, The Hartford Courant reported. more >>

A Connecticut divorce judge ordered a splitting couple to share their Facebook account passwords.

The injured husband, Stephen Gallion, of New London, accused his wife Courtney Gallion of writing incriminating posts on Facebook about her feelings towards their children and her ability to care for them on the couple's shared home computer.

The wife was also ordered to hand over passwords for her extramarital eHarmony and Match accounts. more >>

Travelers on at least four planes were stranded on the tarmac of an airport in Connecticut for more than seven hours Saturday leaving some without food, water or working toilets.

At least three JetBlue and one American Airlines planes were diverted to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Conn., after severe winter weather left the planes unable to land in the New York-area airports.

One JetBlue plane with at least 100 people on board departed from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., but was unable to land in Newark, N.J. The plane landed at the Connecticut airport at about 2 p.m. Saturday, but passengers were not allowed off the plane until 9 p.m., according to reports. more >>

The U.S. Navy honorably discharged a sailor as a religious conscientious objector after he sued the military branch.

Ensign Michael Izbicki was released from the Navy Wednesday after a two-year battle to be discharged as a conscientious objector.

A recent graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, Izbicki was in the process of suing the Navy with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union for his release. He dropped the lawsuit when the branch decided to grant him CO status. more >>