Attacked Plea Deal Defended -- Entertainment, New Haven County,...

[Jerry]

Mcdonald says in the article prosecutors who reduce charges have an obligation to articulate for the public their decision. McDonald did not give Connelly a chance, he just attacked him before he had all of the facts. Would Mc Donald go after Connelly if Connelly was a democrat? Remember politicians are looking for votes, and prosecutors are looking for justice. I think getting justice for the public can be very difficult at times. However a politician blowing some smoke up someone's butt to get votes is easy,"Just tell them what they want to hear and they will vote for you." A politicians motto.

[Sam Tiesley]

I think everyone is overreacting to the crime. Mr. William's only killed one person and seriously injured another. He certainly should be punished but I think with the appropriate counceling he could still be a productive member of the community. Everyone deserves a second, third, fourth etc. chance. I say after a few years (not more than 5) in a psychiatric facility, he should be reintroduced into the community. Then we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does not commit any additional crimes. Give peace a chance.

[Jimmy]

Interesting wrote:

Although this guy is clearly a monster and deserves the death penalty.. I'm a little disturbed that he did jail time for a case with no evidence.. That could have been any one of us... He deserved it, I'm sure, but what if it was an innocent man?? Whew.. I don't understand our system..

No you clearly don't understand our system. The article said little physical evidence, not no evidence. Child witnesses pose significant difficulty in criminal cases. Most child sex cases don't have physical evidence because they are often reported weeks, months or years after the incident. Juries are loathe to convict people of these types of crimes on the testimony of a child. These same prospective jurors spout off here about prosecutors and judges and legislators and how these monsters should be put away for life. The reality is when push comes to shove, they are the same people who find reasonable doubt in these situations and let guilty people free after trial

[Jerry]

There is no perfect system, but if you know of one in another country you should move there.To paraphraseThomas Jefferson, democracy is a rotten form of goverment, but all the others are so much worse.You sound angry. Do you have a personal issue with the Connecticut justice system?

not surprised wrote:

<quoted text>
Not surprised at all. All it takes to be convicted of a crime is a prosecutor, a "tough" judge, and a connected "victim" helps, too. Innocent people accept pleas because a jury trial is an unknown -- to say nothing of the money involved. We have no justice system -- but a great "Good Old Boys Club". This guy appears to be guilty of this crime, the previous one is iffy. You are right, it could happen to anyone -- and does!

[Joe]

Lawlor & McDonald, time after time, prove themselves to be total idiots. Wake up people of E Haven & Stamford!! Bottom line is is the state of CT had more people in public service like John Connelly and less like Lawlor & McDonald we would ALL be MUCH better off.

[Stop Your Cryin]

Allen M wrote:

<quoted text>
Exactly, I share the same concerns. Anyone of us could be locked up for 8 years on no evidence? That's another problem with the plea deal system, to an innocent person without the resources to fight the charge taking the plea and doing the time might be seem like the only real option when the alternative is doing double the time if convicted.

Your ignorance is what is truely the problem in our state. Read the entire text and article and not what supports your arguements!!

[DgD]

What the HELL color is the water in your world??

Sam Tiesley wrote:

I think everyone is overreacting to the crime. Mr. William's only killed one person and seriously injured another. He certainly should be punished but I think with the appropriate counceling he could still be a productive member of the community. Everyone deserves a second, third, fourth etc. chance. I say after a few years (not more than 5) in a psychiatric facility, he should be reintroduced into the community. Then we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does not commit any additional crimes. Give peace a chance.

[Allen M]

Jerry wrote:

There is no perfect system, but if you know of one in another country you should move there.To paraphraseThomas Jefferson, democracy is a rotten form of goverment, but all the others are so much worse.You sound angry. Do you have a personal issue with the Connecticut justice system?<quoted text>

That's a cop out. Isn't it each of our obligation to try and make our country a better place?

Moving to another country is silly. We can work to improve what's broken in our own.

[Interesting]

Before you call someone ignorant, learn how to spell "truly and arguments."

[Interesting]

Stop Your Cryin wrote:

<quoted text>
Your ignorance is what is truely the problem in our state. Read the entire text and article and not what supports your arguements!!

Before you call someone ignorant, learn how to spell "truly and arguments."

[Tony from PA]

Here is what plea bargaining should look like:

xx years (maximum possible jail time) at a normal facility with visitors, usual priviledges if you plea bargain

or

xx years (same time as above) at a SuperMax type facility in a 4x4 foot cell, no access to the outside world, if the crook goes to trial and looses.

[Tony from PA]

can you send me some of whatever you just smoked?

Sam Tiesley wrote:

I think everyone is overreacting to the crime. Mr. William's only killed one person and seriously injured another. He certainly should be punished but I think with the appropriate counceling he could still be a productive member of the community. Everyone deserves a second, third, fourth etc. chance. I say after a few years (not more than 5) in a psychiatric facility, he should be reintroduced into the community. Then we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does not commit any additional crimes. Give peace a chance.

[miss Es son]

Sam Tiesley wrote:

I think everyone is overreacting to the crime. Mr. William's only killed one person and seriously injured another. He certainly should be punished but I think with the appropriate counceling he could still be a productive member of the community. Everyone deserves a second, third, fourth etc. chance. I say after a few years (not more than 5) in a psychiatric facility, he should be reintroduced into the community. Then we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does not commit any additional crimes. Give peace a chance.

Insanity! Someone was playing in the chemicals.

[FAV]

The writer gave good detail about the sexual assault deliberations which indicate the DA did the best he could with the evidence. The original article indicated that the suspect had multiple burglaries in his background. A little background on how serious they were might shed some light on how dangerous this felon was.

[Mike]

Linda wrote:

Rell sounds like H. Clinton - talks big, promises much, is elected, and does little! She needs to pay attention to horrific crimes in her state, not the media and cameras!

Hey Linda, I would not talk too much about Connecticut, living in Florida. Get your house in order before you jump ugly on Rell.

As to John Conolly, ok, dude, you have a second chance to make sure this thug never sees the light of day outside jail. Maybe, just maybe, you can get another scalp on your wall for getting another death penalty conviction. For all of you out there, Conolly is responsible for approx 90% of the people on death row . Maybe if those pantywaists in the GA, get off their dead asses, and get that death penalty fixed, so it will be used a little more frequently, some of those thugs will be worm food, instead of taking up space in prison.

[miss Es son]

You realize the system is onesided. The govt. holds the cards. They have unlimitd resourses for prosecution. They have every organization at their disposal. It's not outrageous to hld the govt responsible for the welfare of their citizens. That includes doing more to ensure these people who need help (this perp) get it before they grow up completely tweaked. This guy is beyond help now. Please don't let this happen anymore. An ounce of prevention...

[Imagine no religion]

It seems to me that, rather than divest prosecutors of the discretion to make plea deals, and rather than impose a draconian three-strikes rule, a better solution would be to use our resources to help men like Williams prepare, while in prison, for re-integration in our society. They should also have proper support to help them through the transition back into society upon their release, first and foremost a safe place to live and a job. If we really want to reduce the negative impact these people have on the rest of us, these are the most prudent first steps we could take. The three strikes rule will not make us safer; it will just satisfy a visceral need for revenge. There are many sex offenders, like Williams, who are released with no support network in place. What do we expect to happen?

[Believeinthedeat hpenalty]

What is wrong with you,
if that was a family member or a friend you would not make a statement like that.

I say dont even give this guy a chance at a trial just put him in the chair and turn on the switch.

Why should he get a second chance Mary Ellen wont ever get a second chance, because he felt he had no choice. Let him fry.

Sam Tiesley wrote:

I think everyone is overreacting to the crime. Mr. William's only killed one person and seriously injured another. He certainly should be punished but I think with the appropriate counceling he could still be a productive member of the community. Everyone deserves a second, third, fourth etc. chance. I say after a few years (not more than 5) in a psychiatric facility, he should be reintroduced into the community. Then we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that he does not commit any additional crimes. Give peace a chance.

[Joe]

You may be right about this. We'll se for sure in November. Vote Lawlor & McDonald out, this is not thing they screwed up. Try the entire judicisl system in the state. Vot em OUT!

Allen M wrote:

<quoted text>
Except they are in line with the voters & taxpayers. Only 35% of voters in CT. support the 3 strikes bill (according to Q-polls and other non-biased polls), so its Rell and the republicans who are out of whack with their constituency.
I agree with the rest of your post. Rell isn't offering any real solutions that would reduce crime. She's offering press releases and reactionary tough-sounding but fluffy statements without.

[Rich]

Williams was convicted of a sexual assault where he initially pleaded not guilty, there was no physical evidence,no witness, and a 5 year old accuser who was unable to testify.
Lacking resources for a real lawyer Williams takes a plea deal in a case that should have been tossed,and spends the next 8 years in jail,only to be released to a shelter.
Did the State create a Frankenstein by putting an innocent man in jail?