Court Ignores Victims' Rights

I am outraged at the state Supreme Court's decision to strike down the immediate incarceration law [Page 1, August 13, "Incarceration Law Struck Down"]. This law must be rewritten to reflect the seriousness of the crimes and the danger posed to victims -- and to acknowledge victims' rights.

James McCahill is a convicted rapist. He was found guilty of first-degree sexual assault and burglary in May 2001, and sentenced to 12 years, suspended after six years. Fifteen months later, McCahill is still free.

The court has decided that those accused of capital felony, murder, felony murder and first-degree arson are subject to immediate incarceration upon their convictions. This is valid. Yet the court does not seem to think that rape is serious enough to warrant the same consequences. Instead, it includes rape in the same category as creating a public disturbance.

Justice Flemming L. Norcott Jr. wrote, "A defendant who has been convicted of a minor offense ... will likely serve most, and probably all, of his sentence before his appeal would be decided." Justice Norcott seems to be referring to rape as a "minor offense."

Excluding rape as one of the serious crimes to which the law still applies creates the potential for hundreds of convicted rapists to be released from prison while their appeals are pending. This puts us all at risk.

The 1996 Victims' Rights Amendment states that victims have the right to be "reasonably protected from the accused." Why did the court fail to uphold this part of Connecticut's constitution?

The decision is another insult to rape victims, and makes clear that "victims' rights" is an oxymoron.

Andrea N. Wadowski


Fear From Within

The Aug. 19 "Wright's View" editorial cartoon was right on target. We Americans seem to be more than willing to give up our rights for a false sense of security from foreign-based terrorism. Yet how can we expect to have any effect on terrorism when we can't even prevent American men from kidnapping, raping and murdering little girls?

Robert C. Hetzel


Leave Morawski

Family Alone

As someone who knows the Morawski family I was very saddened to hear of the death of Mr. and Mrs. Morawski [Connecticut, Aug. 19, "Police Identify Plane Crash Victims"].

Although the article was informative, the fact that a reporter would attempt to reach the family is extremely unsympathetic, and revealing their address was very irresponsible. My heart goes out to the family.

Colin J. Woods


Copyright © 2020, Hartford Courant