Sen. Somers Attempts to Protect Violent Crime Victims
May 19, 2021Republicans on the floor expressed concern over how the bill would affect victims.
Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, said she has received calls from survivors of domestic violence who were worried that those who had hurt them could be released under expanded eligibility criteria.
Somers said she preferred the Department of Correction coming up with a “really strong emergency plan,” as opposed to “releasing people that have committed serious crimes, early, because of a pandemic.”
Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, introduced an amendment that would have left in place a provision of the bill that extends whistleblower protections to DOC staff who report excessive uses of force committed by their colleagues but would have struck out the rest of the bill dealing with compassionate release.
“Victims have rights in the state of Connecticut,” said Kissel.
The amendment failed.
