NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 28 (UPI) -- A veteran prosecutor who has sought the death penalty only once before wants the ultimate punishment for the suspects accused of killing a Connecticut family.
"I thought it was important with respect to the family, the public and law enforcement," Michael Dearington, the state's attorney for the judicial district of New Haven, told the New York Times. "I seek capital charges when they are warranted. It's as simple as that."
Steven J. Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky have been arrested and charged with breaking into a Cheshire home Monday, severely beating endocrinologist Dr. William A. Petit Jr. and strangling his wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit.
Hayes and Komisarjevsky also are accused of tying up Hawke-Petit's daughters -- 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela -- then setting the house on fire, leaving the girls to die of smoke inhalation.
The suspects are charged with the capital offense of murder in the course of kidnapping and sexual assault, as well as other crimes.
Dearington's decision to seek capital punishment is drawing criticism from death penalty opponents and defense attorneys who argue putting convicts to death is expensive for taxpayers and causes more suffering for survivors.
