Dr Petit writes to legislators at hearings for Judicial reform

Day two of hearings in Hartford and many ideas for reforming Connecticut's abysmal judicial system have been put on the table for review and debate.

Although no one agreed on any one thing- with attitudes pretty much split by party lines,
I am at least heartened by the degree of public and political fervor surrounding these
hearings.

Unfortunately, myself others familiar with the actual day to day machinations of our Connecticut courts, have long known that many of them were in desperate shape. The fate that befell the lovely Petit family was almost bound to happen to someone sooner than later, given the number of dangerous criminals treated with barely a slap on the wrist, for crimes that are effectively, precursors to murder.

The Petit tragedy has served as what I hope will be, the final watershed for an issue that many of us have been desperately trying to bring to the state's legislative forum for quite some time. This crime is simply so glaring, due to the kind and giving nature of the victims and the conversely merciless brutality visited upon them, that it took this to serve as the fait de compli in reforming our states long standing judicial woes.

Within the accompanying article is a letter written by Dr Petit that pretty much expresses this same sentiment.
To paraphrase; "...Since the murder of my family is absolute and cannot be undone, please, please let this be the last lives lost due to Connecticut's inadequate criminal justice system..."

Mystery paper by top Conn prosecutor cites holes in justice system

This is the third article that I've read on an unpublished paper purportedly written by a top Connecticut prosecutor entitled "Something Could Have Been Done", in reference to the Petit family crimes in Cheshire. For some reason, this paper has not been released to the mainstream media or even wholly available elsewhere, YET-- I am working on finding a source for this letter in it's entirety. This sounds like a dead-on, honest, intelligent and insightful appraisal from within our Connecticut court system about the infinite number of holes in the sentencing procedures of many of those courts.

As it stands, only excerpts of the opinion piece are available through various news sources, including the WTNH link that I provided in the title header to this post. This WTNH source offers as much as any other source, including a similar piece in Newsday that can easily be found on the Internet as well.

The real question is..... why it wasn't published and why is the media only receiving tidbits of its content? I am willing to bet that the reason this paper has not fully seen the light of day is very much political, as it certainly smells to me like the kind of embarrassing inside information regarding the ineptitude of our court/parole systems (structurally as well as practically speaking). Reading only the portion available one finds it reveals the kind of information that various government agencies would not want to be made public-especially in light of the Cheshire killings, and the obvious screw-ups involved in the irresponsible paroled release of the two men that brutalized and killed the Petit women and child. With this being gleaned from the portion made public, I am left to wonder what is included in the remainder, and I for one demand to see it released.

However, I ask all my readers to click over to the WTNH link and read their excerpt, if you have not already have. I am sure that you are horrified and outraged, as am I, by the admission from a felon regarding the futility of the "short lease" band-aid that the criminal justice system employs using the GPS system. It is a petty if not meaningless solution to preventing violent parolees from returning to their former profession. It is this type of mentality that calls for very lengthy if not permanent incarceration after just one offense. Treating first offenses lightly by allowing pleas to lesser charges, albeit with the threat of "three strikes", will only give these social misfits, these predators, more bites at the apple with regard to endangering the safety of the public.

Komisarjevsky went to a keg party to celebrate having his ankle bracelet removed and shortly thereafter escalated his criminal behaviour to pure evil.

We are first and foremost talking about public safety. While justice for the Petits is demanded and essential, justice is discussed here as an ancillary subject. Sadly the call for justice many times comes only after the legal system fails in protecting those they are sworn to, not to mention the very same people whose tax dollars fund said system. Changes made at the top- the courts, namely the way plea deals are made as well as sentencing, the prisons (read here as more space for violent offenders), and most importantly the parole boards- inevitably will reduce the threat to our society.

From what I have read, this opinion piece does cite some very important facts that many Connecticut citizens are simply not aware of, including a discussion about the nature of the crime of burglary, and it's connection to violent crimes such as sexual assaults, kidnapping and murder.

As a former victim of violent crime I have availed myself to as much information as possible on the education and knowledge of what makes criminals tick. Hence, this burglary and violent crime connection is something that I have long been aware of. In fact when I read that joshua komisarjevsky had robbed houses prior to the Petit break-in and had been found to have stolen personal articles from women in the households-including lingerie and framed photos of some women, I was not surprised-- Many sexual predators start out as a peeping toms, and/or even a "simple flasher" (although now we know that that term is a misnomer, as it is anything but simple in reality) and in time they will move up the offense ladder to robbery, break-ins to rape and murder.

It is facts like these, about the psychology of predators, that are essential when dealing with sentencing and law structure. I know that this kind of information has a crucial place in our courts, as well as within our mainstream population. Remember that the entire motive for the Petit crimes was sexual assault-robbery was incidental or secondary and the murders were an attempt to cover their crimes. Educating people about the ways of the predator will only serve to protect us, as a people, from them. Sociopaths are simply the worst of the predators, but they are just one brand.

It may seem odd but it was my amassing this kind of knowledge that empowered me to make the transition from victim to survivor and it is this same awareness that will save many women-and men- from becoming victims themselves. It is only part of the overall solution to our state's court crisis, but it is an essential part.

ABC News: Foundations to Honor the Petit Family

Please read about these foundations and think about donating if possible-there are some great causes being served by the PFF...

ABC News: Foundations to Honor the Petit Family

News Channel 8 aired an interview with Dr. Petit yesterday, as the lone survivor of a home invasion in Cheshire CT that ended in the murders of his wife and two daughters. It was his first interview since the crimes that took his family and his home, and left him seriously injured in late July.

We have all seen him on the news and on the Internet in clips of his memorial services and candlelight vigils for his slain family. He has carried himself with such courage and grace while so many have been praying for him to find the strength to heal from this enormous loss.

His memorials to his family have been remarkable not only in the strength it took to stand up and speak so soon after his own near death experience within that awful crime, but also through his anecdotes and relating his personal memories. By sharing these with us, he's managed to restore his daughters and wife to who they were and what they were about- in life before their tragic ends, rather than allowing them to be remembered only as victims.

In this interview he spoke exclusively with Anne Nyberg of News Channel 8, one of Connecticut's local news channels. I was glad to see that he'd awarded her this opportunity to sit with him as I've noted that Anne has taken a personal interest in the Petit crime, especially the selfless way that Dr. Petit has conducted himself since the murders of his family.

The theme he imparts to us during the interview is the need to take something positive from this ordeal in order to heal. As a survivor of violent crime myself I thoroughly understand this and agree.

In that vein Dr. Petit has set up various charitable foundations under his daughters names, in order to best use the donations that have been coming in from people all over the country. Donations given by those each wishing to do something to honor the Petit women's lives.

Two days ago Dr. Petit awarded the first ever "Haley and Michaela Petit M.S award" to a young boy in the area who alone has been caring for his mother afflicted with MS. This youth oriented charity is particularly special for Dr. Petit in that his wife Jen suffered from MS the last 8 yrs of her life. His daughter Haley manged to raise over $50,000 in a charity that she called Haley's Hope at just 11 years of age. Michaela was to take over and form her own foundation, to be called Michaela's Miracle. I was deeply moved when I learned of this. The world needs to know and never forget how amazingly incredible these two young women were. It is obvious that this entire family imparted the spirit of giving to their children and community at large.

The Haley/Michaela MS foundation is but one of 6 or so charities that are evolving from the donations that Dr. Petit continues to receive from people wanting to continue the Petit's legacy of giving.

It wasn't a long interview but Dr. Petit obviously preferred to concentrate on the good that is coming about as a result of the crimes, rather than, as he put it, "....the horrific nature of the crimes..." which he admitted is often just too overwhelming for him. Although he did a good job of holding it together during the interview, one couldn't help but see and feel the pain quite palpable looming just under the surface of this man. He admitted that many mornings he wakes up and thinks, ".... what do I do now...... with my life?"

When I think about all of the collective pain that has been caused by this set of crimes, and the two evil reprobates that committed them, I am overwhelmed-and yes, very angry- that there were just too many levels in the justice system where the chain of events leading to this crime could have been broken but weren't.

I find I put myself his shoes most every day and more often than I'd like I think about what his girls and his wife went through those last hours. I know it doesn't help anyone but at the same time I don't think the answer is to put our heads in the sand altogether and refuse to ponder at all what those victims experienced during the long hours of their assaults and how they died . For how these women and this child suffered both before and while they were ultimately killed is the very embodiment of this crime. Yes it is painful but we must think about it and take that feeling of anguish and anger to those in our state responsible for criminal justice and sentencing reform. We must not let this ever happen again-whatever it takes.

There is a link below that will take you to the Petit family foundations and the many charities for those who would like to know more OR donate. Give where you can and get involved in the restoration of Connecticut's criminal justice system. Empathy is healing and empowering when experienced by people whether they be together in a group or alone apart. But empathy on it's own in this case is not enough. As Dr. Petit said in one of his memorials that we all should live with a faith that embodies action. Even in the smallest of ways, you can help.


ABC News: Foundations to Honor the Petit Family

A bittersweet Birthday..

Today would have been Michaela Petit's 12th birthday.

A local florist in Plainville held a special tribute in Michaela's memory, a fundraiser donating all proceeds from special Rose bouquet sales to a local charity set up in the family's name. http://www.petitfamilyfoundation.org/

Michaela's middle name was Rose and her dad, Dr. William Petit affectionately nicknamed her k.k Rosebud. It was this special nickname that spurred on the idea of the floral bouquet fundraiser, according to the owner of The Pink Door in Plainville.

Jennifer Hawke-Petit, Michaela's mom, was diagnosed with MS 8 years ago, leading Haley Petit, Michaela's older sister, to begin a fundraising charity for MS called Haley's hope. The charity raised over 30 thousand dollars for Multiple Sclerosis in six short years!

With Haley attending Dartmouth college in the fall, she handed the charitable legacy to her younger sister Michaela, who was reportedly re-naming the charity "Michaela's Miracle".

Tragically Michaela, Haley and Mrs Petit were all killed in a home invasion turned triple homicide in late July of this year.

A multitude of charities have sprung from the tragedy, each benefiting a variety of good causes. As the Petit family was well known locally for their extraordinary caring and giving natures, it is only fitting that we all continue to carry on many good works in their memory.

May you rest in eternal peace Michaela.

A Hard Thing To Put Out Of Their Minds -- Courant.com

I have been wondering for quite some time how the families of Dr Petit, and Jennifer Hawke-Petit have been doing since the murders of their beloved family members in July, just over three months ago today.
I came upon an article today in the Hartford Courant about a phone interview with the Hawke family and how they are holding up since the tragedy. Both Reverend Hawke and Mrs Hawke are the parents of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and grandparents to Michaela and Hayley, all three of whom were murdered this summer in a brutal home invasion that ended in the snuffing out of three beautiful and vibrant lives.

The crimes are now what appears to have been sexually motivated. They began with the sighting and stalking of Mrs Petit -Hawke and her daughter Michaela, while they were out shopping at a local Stop And Shop Supermarket. The attractive mother-daughter pair were apparently followed home and their house staked out by two lifetime career criminals, joshua komisarjevksy and steven hayes, The men apparently HAD taken an interest in the Petits when they first saw them in the store itself.

Although Michaela was only 11 YEARS OLD she'd reportedly just had a recent growth spurt which belied her actual young age, and joshua komisarjevsky had a history of attraction to very young girls, the mother of his five year old daughter being only 15 when he began seeing her, while he was 21 at the time. His most recent girlfriend was also 15 when they met- this time when komisarjevsky was 26 making the age difference twice as notable. Obviously the man had severely dysfunctional issues surrounding women and like a pedophile was drawn to very young pubescent or adolescent girls. As is true with most pedophiles, they were no threat to him and he could easily control the relationship as well as the girl with such overt age disparities-if the word "relationship" even applies here.

The two men spent the next several hours plotting a home invasion that would include multiple rapes,, an assault on Dr Petit, arson of the Petit's home, and a brutal and senseless triple murder committed in an attempt to cover up DNA evidence, as well as eliminating all the witnesses to their 6 1/2 hour brutal crime spree.

No matter how many times I read about this I cannot stop imagining these three women; what they were feeling and thinking throughout the ordeal of that long night into the fateful morning. I cannot get it out of my head three months later, and from what I read in this article about the Hawke family, they too cannot get it out of their heads either.

This is why I am so committed to criminal justice reform in this state. Consider how many lives have been so deeply affected by this crime alone. We the people of Connecticut mourn right alongside the Hawkes, right alongside the Petit family, and right alongside every single person that has been graced by the Friendship of these fine people. And We mourn especially for those who will never know them.

The Hawke family, though deeply religious, would still seem tormented by thoughts of "...if only..." or, "...why couldn't this have happened... at the bank... or... when the police arrived " etc... For them it isn't simply a matter of losing one's family, WHICH IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH. It is in the senseless manner in which their lives ended and the maddening series of events that comprised the last 15 minutes of their lives. This this is why so many people just cannot seem to wrap their heads or hearts, around this crime.

The police were involved before the family was murdered, being notified, thanks to Mrs Petit's courage and quick thinking. Unfortunately due to the specific language used by Mrs Petit, undoubtedly given to her by steven hayes, it was conveyed that there was a hostage situation and that specific threats were given. This led the police being notified with the implicit promise of no harm as long as the police were not notified. So basically the Cheshire police were in a very difficult position, they made a judgement based on the info they had at that time and it perhaps cost two possibly three lives lost.

I find that these are the details of the case that have all of us gnashing our teeth and pulling out our own hair, if only on the inside. None of us can help but think about a variety of slightly different scenarios that would have made everything end in a manner that left the three Petit women alive. Yet the roots of this crime were planted and fertilized in our court system-( this includes our Parole board and procedure) and its there that we must look to ensure that nothing like this shall ever happen again in this State.

A Hard Thing To Put Out Of Their Minds -- Courant.com

The Advocate - Connecticut considers major overhaul in wake of Cheshire killings

To Parole or not to Parole..

An AP article in today's Stamford Advocate regarding the long term effects of pulling parole in the state, with ominous references to the last time Connecticut abolished parole in 1981. However what is not pointed out clearly enough is the fact that when the state got rid of parole at that time, they put in its place a totally impractical and overly complicated system of prisoner earned credits for shortened sentences. In essence it ended up trading one problem for another. Clearly as we have the hindsight advantage of that system's long term results-obscenely shortened sentences for violent offenders. This alternative is not a desirable option this time around. Been there done that, in other words.

Let us learn from our mistakes folks. We need to be extremely careful about what kind of system we would put in the place of the current parole system. As a former victim of crime and our of Connecticut court system, I am also inclined to think that parole is but one of many areas that needs to be revamped within this system.

And as much as a "TASK FORCE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM" sounds great, I am more than a bit wary of just who the governor has put together to work on this high profile issue that came to a head over the Petit family crimes in Cheshire. I am currently doing some research into the members that comprise this group and I will be following its proceedings in the months to come as the details are made public. History shows that very little "Reform" actually takes place by the very people who are part of an already corrupt or dysfunctional system. If any members have a vested interest in the Connecticut court's present day status quo survival and/or have a personal interest in covering up the actual degree of dysfunction and ineptitude that has been allowed to exist for so long, true progress cannot happen. In this type of climate, it takes only a few members with polluted agendas can render such a committee impotent.

I would hate to see the opportunity that we have before us to truly effect some much needed clean up of our courts, squandered by the political back-rubbing that so often hinder true reform of any kind. This is simply too important of an issue to the people of this state for us to allow politics as usual. Our physical safety, the quality of our lives and indeed our very lives are at stake. And if nothing else let us use the horrible tragedy of the Petit family murders as a clear turning point, leading us to embark on a tighter, stricter and more intelligent criminal justice system in the state of Connecticut.

More to come Re;

The Governors TASK FORCE on Criminal Justice Reform, who's in it and
is it legit or just a prop designed to appease the citizens of Connecticut?
and What we as citizens can do to help ensure that it not become the latter.

Also, What to expect in the upcoming hearings for joshua komisarjevsky and steven hayes...
And
Why did Judge Damiani relent to the defense team's unusual request for a gag order on The Petit case?








The Advocate - Connecticut considers major overhaul in wake of Cheshire killings

One persons interpretation of Good and evil

The text below was taken from a post that I came upon in The Hartford Courant readers Forum section. Someone wrote in on a post that the brutality of the Petit family crimes were proof that god doesn't exist, especially because the Petits were an avidly spiritual and religious family and so involved with the church and good works in their community. This makes the question of ' where was god ?' (when they were being so harmed and their lives snuffed out so senselessly), even more glaring and cruel.
I find this to be a a very sound and valid question and one that I have personally wrestled with a great deal when terrible things like this happen to such good people.

A beautiful answer came from a 'jm Kelley" and it truly moved me. It was the first time that someone made such good sense to me in addressing the whole notion of evil and God- IE his apparent lack of intervention on behalf of the innocents that fall prey to some of mans worst kind of cruelty.
In these times it may lend much needed solace to many of us who have been so deeply affected by the tragedies, such as befell the Petit family. Have a read...


QUOTED FROM "jmKelley" in the Hartford Courant Readers forum entitled " Drug testing negative for Petit family killers..."

But you ask, why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Philosophers and theologians have written volumes on this question for millennial. Anything I can say will sound trite. It begins with the fact that we are the only animal with a conscience and free will -- the abilities to know right from wrong, and to significantly change our environment.
God created us to love, and love can only be fully expressed through free will, not through the automated instincts of lower animals. Our capacity to love through free will stems from the fact that we are made “in the image and likeness of God.” We are meant to be “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet 1), “sharers in His very divinity” (St. Thomas Aquinas).
God so loved the world that He gives us a conscience and free will, intending for us to choose love. The flip side of this is that some people reject conscience and choose evil. But God does not choose bad things, people do.
So where was God on the morning of July 23 when this innocent family was being tortured and slaughtered?
During those hours, He was crucified on a Cross, suffering with the innocent the darkest pains of the human condition. Christ was not crucified just to appease some angry god for a long list of sins. Christ entered with us into our own deepest sufferings and pathologies, to demonstrate His full presence with us, and to then achieve victory over death, suffering, and evil. Christ doesn’t just talk the talk. He walks the walk with us, right into hell itself, and then out of hell.
Where is God now in the wake of this horrific massacre?
God is in all the healing love surrounding the Petit family. He is working through all the friends, neighbors, and healers who are helping the family and others to recover. God is working through parents who are becoming extra vigilant, through our public safety officers who are redoubling their efforts to protect us, and through all who demand justice and legal reform in response to this.
Whether or not all these people believe in God, God is still working through them because our impulse to do good, to love, is implanted in us by God who is Love.
God is also working in mysterious ways that we can’t now comprehend. Joseph of Egypt said to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, “Even though you meant harm to me, God used it for good, to achieve His present end, the survival of many people. Therefore, have no fear” (Gen 50: 15-21). God will always try to achieve some good, even from a bad situation.
God is the living Source of all Good and Love. He does not cause bad things. But He wants each of us to work with Him to achieve His ends of Good and Love in our world.[/QUOTE]

Crime & Justice > re the Petit Family murders

http://www.crimeandjustice.us/forums/lofiversion/index.php?t10997.html

While perusing the net looking for information regarding the public defenders that are handling the defense in the Petit crimes, I came upon this article from a few month back.

There is some very importantt information regarding the lead attorney for Steven Hayes, thomas ulmann -the very same man responsible for the current gag order that has recently been imposed on the entire case, The order, in effect, disallows the police and/or attorneys from speaking with the media or anyone else regarding the facts of the Petit family assaults kidnappings and murders.
I saw attorney Ulmann in "action" at Hayes' probable cause hearing, and he is definitely going to be a tenacious lawyer in handling this guy's defense.

The strong anti-death penalty stance that Ulmann champions rather loudly, will obviously have a huge impact on this case. He is now and has always been, an avid- high profile anti-death penalty advocate known both within the local legal community and outside of it.
He has already begun taking morality jabs at his former courtroom nemesis, Michael Dearington, the lead prosecutor in the Petit case--hinting that if the prosecutor wasnt so hell bent on killing his client, that a guilty plea would be forthcoming and the state would be saved a lot of time and energy and money. The implication of course is see how expensive the death penalty is for the state of Connecticut-do you see how this bloodthirtsiness and vengefal mindset costs us all so dearly?' Of course its conveinently not poibnted out that in fact it is the crimes that were committed and the atrocious methods employed in these multiple murders that are what is costing the state-not the obtaining of justice and the appropriate accompanying penalty-which in this case the state the people and the prosecuctor feel is death- Mr ulmann.

Apparently, Ulmann is the only attorney to ever go up against Mr Dearington in a capital death penalty case, And according to the article, Ulmann "won' the last one; ie he "saved" his client, a man that killed an entire family including two small children, from the death penalty, and won him life without parole instead.


According to Ulmann's his main focus will be keeping his client from recieving the death penalty- and it already appears that he will try to make this case all about that issue rather than the brutal and senseless crimes that were committed by his client steven hayes!

Judge Issues Gag Order In Cheshire Case - Connecticut News Story - WFSB Hartford

Once again, morally bankrupt defense attorneys have the court bending over backwards for the "rights" of their murdering-rapist clients.

Thanks to the over-zealous attorneys for Steven Hayes, Judge Damiani has actually granted a gag order on the case that will apply to both the State and Cheshire police depts, States
attorney's office and all defense attorneys involved with the case. They may not discuss the Petit case with any member of the Press or Media, presumably due to a recent article in the courant that according to ulmann "had to have originated from someone in the Cheshire police dept-and it is severely encroaching upon the defendent's right to a fair trial"

Look, I get the fact that you're a public defender Ulmann, head of the state's public defenders office if I'm correct and so presumably, you've got to take this case, but who the hell told you to do so with such ardor?! I'm certain if these guys had brutalized and viciously murdered your daughters, your wife, or your sisters, you would be considerably less concerned with their "rights" especially considering this has simply grandstanding for your favorite soapbox cause; anti death penalty.

This is yet another glaring manipulation of our justice system at the hands of bad men representing evil men. And all under the guise of their client's "right to a fair trial" Hence the word FAIR, has become fair game. What ever happened to professional integrity for attorneys? When are we going to stop tolerating this debasement of our justice system by murderers and their paid henchmen?! Since Hayes attorney, Mr Ulmann, likes to ponder out loud about the ironies in this situation (as it serves him) IE re his comment to the press regarding "the extensive security measures being taken to safeguard the life of Mr Hayes, this when the state is concurrently pursuing the death penalty against him and the real threat against him is in fact inside the prison walls...." yadda yadda ya....'
CONSIDER THIS Mr Ulmann....Who put him there? Who? He did--! One Steven Hayes! When he decided to target Mrs Petit and her 11 year old daughter for a night of kidnapping rape and robbery and then without hesitation, WITH NARY A HEARTBEATS HESITATION he committed a brutal triple murder simply to escape going to prison for rape and robbery.

Mr Ulmann has the audacity to be waggling his finger, at the prosecutor as well as the people of Connecticut, for the current 'predicament" that his MURDEROUS client has ' somehow found himself in.... This in regards to Mr Hayes personal security within the general prison populace, as well as finding himself" under the threat of possible death sentence by the mean -spirited State of Connecticut (facetious)
And as if that isn't enough, here is even more irony ulmann...

We the decent law abiding, tax paying, citizens of Connecticut are ultimately paying your salary so that Mr Hayes gets an over- zealous "fair" defense in this case, A CASE in which he is so overtly guilty that by all rights he should have been executed by now.

Instead, we the very people he has proven a distinct threat to his entire adult life, are now unwittingly and thanklessly, subsidizing his attorneys, his security, his meals, his newspapers, his suicide watch, his doctors and no doubt psychiatrist- and his "medicine" which reportedly includes pain medication and anti-anxiety for all that that ails him.

And We do so, not because we want to, but rather because a system was put in place once upon a time designed to protect the one innocent man amidst the gaggles of guilty, who might find himself ensnared wrongly within our system. I think we both would agree that This is clearly not the case with your client Mr Hayes. This this is one of but many many heinous crimes carried out by equally heinous criminals where we must go through all of the motions of a comprehensive trial Of course given your innate proclivity for dishonesty and deceit one could never expect an honest assessment of anything from you.

We also set a basic standard for ourselves as a people to treat humanely even the most reprehensible among us, including the manner in which we implement our ultimate penalty- death . Here we must again rise above our personal wishes of vindication for the victims and carry this somber duty out instead with absolute consideration for the least possible amount of suffering for men that purposely caused inordinate suffering to innocent lives themselves.

Over the years defense attorneys like yourself have manipulated and prostituted these basic tenets until they have become withered and have little to nothing to do with why they were there in the first place. You have thus taken advantage of all of us as a people, you have used
our collective sense of fairness, humanity and decency and used it to fan the flames of self promotion, propaganda, deception manipulation and thus the propagation of evil , by in effect co signing a pact with those that have done and would do, evil unto others.

In plain English you and your kind are allowing those who commit the worst crimes imaginable to chronically escape culpability to the point where justice in the halls of our courts has become so watered down that it means nothing at all.

And Not only must we tolerate this system, we are expected to support it.


There is no doubt in my mind that these two attorneys are more evil then the two reprobates that they represent-They are already utilizing every slick and slimy "tactic" with utter aforethought and shrewdness, all in an effort to help make sure that their clients, these men escape as much accountability as humanly possible for the kidnapping, assaults and murders, of two children and their mother.

Through this gag order, Mr ulmann and his co counsel would like nothing more than the memory of the horrific suffering that Mr Hayes caused the Mrs Petit and her children, to fade from the public minds, and the details that are part of the awful truth of what their clients did, to fade right along with it.

They hope to put as much time as possible between these crimes and the day when their clients guilt shall be decided, and in doing so the truth fades to be replaced by doubt over the genuine guilt of their client.

Chasing Justice is a private weblog for victims of crime. I am not bound by this gag order as I am not technically "The press", nor the media.
In honor of the memory of the Petit women, I will continue to write about this crime and keep it in the forefront of our collective conscience; This until the day that the death sentence is handed down to both Mr komisarjevsky and Mr Hayes respectively.

I will not relent shining the light of truth on their evil and their lies.

Judge Issues Gag Order In Cheshire Case - Connecticut News Story - WFSB Hartford

A morning in court with a killer

Today on this clear winters morning, my car would seem to drive itself all the way from the driveway of my home in lower fairfield county right up to the very steps of The New Haven Superior courthouse.

My cars ultimate destination----? Probable cause hearing for one Steven Hayes- half of the reprobate pair of men charged with the assaults, kidnapping and murders of Jennifer, Haley and little 11 year old Michaela Petit this past July, May they rest in peace.

I left my house early morning with the intention in mind of buying some milk with perhaps a stop off to an area beach, something that I enjoyed when the fewest people were likely to be there-its a very peaceful place in the winter months.


My subconscious mind had other ideas; I did have a vague sense that today was the day for certain something happening, but couldn't recall exactly what...As I drove, I remembered, ugh. it was the day of the probable cause hearing for Steven Hayes the older defendant "accused" in the Petit crimes
As my heart filled wih equal parts anger and grief, my car simply righted itself towards I95 northbound destination New haven.

It wasn't as if Id ever made A decision to attend the hearing. In fact all practical considerations pointed towards not going; ie there would be way too many people there, there would be security issues galore-(this due to the immense public outcry and anger over the hideousness of these crimes.) and last but not least, what good would my presence serve?
The Petit family seemed to have a A lot of support from their friends family and community- beloved as they were, and are, to the townspeople.

For the rest of the drive I drove in a near-hypnotic state and the next thing I knew--I was right smack in front of the New haven courthouse. Miraculously, I found a convenient parking spot straight away, This was just one of several unusual happenings that were to happen on this day;

As I parked I was encouraged-though surprised by the lack of people outside. I'd fully expected a atmosphere reminiscent of the arraignment of these two monsters back in August. According to news coverage The Meridan courthouse had been stuffed with local citizens and press alike. And While the media comprised part of the crowd that day, the general public had turned out in droves-many simply to show support for the victims family, including Dr William Petit, the sole survivor of these awful crimes that robbed him of his wife and children and left him with a near fatal head injury. A picture of His face, bruised and stitched and filled with grief, attending his families memorial, was now a permanent resident of my heart and soul.

The idea of a huge crowd had been one of the biggest reasons that Id decided earlier in the week not to attend the hayes hearing. I was working on the date of the hearing for komisarjevsky, thus alleviating me of even the option of attending. But something deeper within me clearly wanted, or perhaps needed to go to this second one, depite the practical reasons not to.

When I arrived I noted a very modest gathering of press with cameras, set up at one corner of the courthouse. As I had left my home that morning with no idea of where I was really going, I had no idea what time this hearing was to begin---perhaps Id missed it and that would explain why the crowd and press was so thin... Glancing at my car clock I saw that it was 9;50 am.
Now most court proceedings that I'd attended were always in the morning and always at about this time. Another coincidence---Or was it--? It sure was beginning to seem that a higher power was at work here.

I spotted some movement up on the roof of an adjacent building, I discerned what appeared to be an armed man in some kind of dark swat-type-garb. It took a full 20 seconds or so for this to sink in. My first careening thought , was that some vigilante had been laying in wait to pick off Hayes--but just as quickly I realized that this was in fact the opposite - it was a cop, making sure that no one did take a shot at this criminal.!!
Anger welled up as the reality of this Irony hit me- this clandestine heightened security was there to protect a killer from possible vigilantism. It certainly seemed an over the top display for these low life child killers . With my mind reeling over the display on the roof, I managed to walk through the security check at the entrance of the courthouse. I grabbed an elevator ride up to the 6th floor, where I'd been told that he hearing for one, Steven Hayes would be heard.

I was surprised however to run into a second security checkpoint set up outside the doors to the courtroom itself. Geesh I thought, they are really going to great lengths to protect the life of this horrid man!
This time I was given a wave over with a metal finding machine by a grim looking guard and then patted down on my leg regions. I can only suppose they're looking for hidden weaponry of some kind that defied the metal detectors strapped to my darn legs! ( I should point out here that I consider myself a very innocuous looking female petite, small frame, middle-aged with a decidedly docile/pleasant manner)

Once past that little ordeal, I found myself having to choose a seat on one of the available courtroom benches, while waiting for the hearing to begin. The courtroom was surprisingly more bare than I had ever imagined. I noticed the faces of the Petit and hawke family members on the right side of the courtroom. And on the left side a few rows in front of me was a man sitting alone that looked a bit like Dr Petit, although clearly not him. Perhaps a brother or cousin.

Like so many other people in Connecticut, from the moment I learned of this crime I just have not been the same. My heart aches daily for this family what they went through and what the survivor Dr Petit is going through now. There is also a good deal of anger; For the killers as well as the states long-ineffective judicial system, who in essence, fed this family to the wolves.
For I know better than anyone, this crime never should have happened. And yet
it did. And here we sat awaiting the probable cause hearing for one of the two perpetrators of a crime not only against the Petit family, but against women, children and humanity.

Another reason that I thought I'd decided not to attend this hearing was because of the assumption that it would be extremely quick and uneventful --This based upon co-defendant Joshua komisarjevsky.'s probable cause hearing this Tuesday, past; Komisarjevsy technically waived his right to this hearing, and plead Not guilty to all of the charges against him for the very same crimes.
It should be mentioned that once any defendant waives his right to the probable cause hearing, a Not guilty plea is automatically entered on his behalf. And although apparently a standard practice, madly enough he actually said those words in response to how do you plead to these charges "not guilty your honor."-
-
And despite understanding that this plea is automatic, I still welled up with indigence upon hearing this man use those words. I couldn't help but wonder how the family felt hearing this
as well.
It would seem that our judicial system has made a frivolous "tactical" game out of something as important as a defendants accountability-in this case for taking life, or an
entire families lives. Three very promising decent lives. And desecrating one others in the process-Dr Petit the sole survivor of this cowardly carnage of his family.

As I listened to attorney Thomas Ulmann rattle on about Mr hayes' rights in regards to the press's negative reporting of his client" my mind skittered and it hit me; komisarjevskys lawyer stated on Tuesday to the press "there are many tactical reasons for a defendant to waive his right to a probable cause hearing..."insinuating that this was just such a case... I suddenly understood his tactical reasoning; If the hearing were to proceed normally ie without being waived, the prosecutor is required to lay out all of the evidenciary findings, to back up the probable cause for the defendant to be charged with those crimes.

In this case it is 3 murders, 4 kidnappings, one assault and 2 sexual assaults. And remember, The press is at these hearings folks; Thus all of the awful details that make these crime real to the public, are found within the details of the probable cause findings.

You see unfortunately when crimes are reduced to only simple charges, as awful as they are, they become legally categorized, and thus more antiseptic. It is that much easier to detach a little bit, certainly from the depth of emotion that we would feel upon hearing the graphic details of the same crimes. With those details is the experience the suffering of the victims.
It is thus a small leap to begin imagining what Mrs Petit and her young daughters experienced in the commission of these crimes. The vivid terror and brutality of thier last hours .And this, this is the last thing that any defense attorney wants for their reprobate clients.. Thus, the hearing is 'waived" and the public( and thus potential jury pool) and the press do not hear the details of the last hours of the victims lives.

"Thank you your honor" from hayes snapped me out of my reverie. This was yet Another thing that sickened me within these proceedings-hearing this animal's feigned deference to the judge now, quite a change from his courtroom manner at the arraignment, which was reportedly surly and unrepentant.

Now however it was ever so politely "yes your honor, no your honor sir' While I'm certain that his attorney prepped him, ingratiating him upon the judge who is to preside over the remainder of this trial, but more importantly trying to create a less horrible image in the court of public opinion of his widely despised client.

This predictable posturing aside, I simply could not believe,nor stomach the level of over- politeness and solicitousness from this judge, towards this man who by his own account sexually assaulted a mother of two, strangled her to death while she begged for her life, and her children listening, arms and legs tied to their beds awaiting the horrible deaths that they knew would soon follow.

This man poured gasoline on two girls and set them on fire, leaving them to die a terrifying, excruciating death. He was caught as he scrambled out of their house laughing, laughing-and wearing A hat stolen from Hayley Petit . The depravity is simply off the charts.

So you will have to excuse me if I cannot comprehend this over the top civility, never mind the excessive physical protection, so easily given these monsters . This court is a place where justice is supposed to live. This man is one of two caught red handed committing one of the most brutal crimes that this state has ever seen. And while I don't expect the judge to berate and beat them (although i admit, I like that notion...) some sternness seems appropriate, given the situation. This out of respect for the surviving members of this family, many of whom were in attendance today.What of their rights "your "honor" et al?


These men should be treated with the absolute least deference and most basic of human considerations. Certainly, skip the pleasantries, no "good mornings" and "how are you today's"? Its inappropriate and its maddening.

I saw this very same thing in the court transcripts for komisarjevsky's multiple burglaries in 2002. The judge actually gave a new meaning to the word solicitous in his dealings with this man and his family. And although the crimes before him were not yet murder rape arson and kidnapping-they were a multitude of dangerous home invasions, whereupon in each instance Komisarjevsky chose the late night early am hours when the homeowners were home nestled in their beds to break in and rob them, because as he put it, it was boring when noone was home. He didn't get the charge, the thrill, the high" Classic sociopath and for a change the prosecutor in those cases saw the potential for much more harm to innocent people at the hands of that young man in court before him. He labeled him a threat to the citizens of our state and He was right. But apparently they lost his court sentencing transcripts as well as most of his criminal history including details of the arrest warrants... the reason proffered by the powers that be---something to do with copying costs and long standing intra departmental file-sharing problems.


I was also disheartened tho not surprised, to hear, from presiding judge damiani ".... that nothing of much consequence will be going on for quite some time...". in reference to the next scheduled hearing date in late November, which the defendant today waived his right to personally appear at, presumably due to the drastic security concerns at the court house, or so stated by his attorney Thomas Ulmann. This coward has no problem raping and murdering women, but is afraid someone may take a shot at him on the courthouse steps.

I went. I listened and I watched. Not as a voyeur, but as a supporter. I saw Mrs. Petit-
hawke's sister, who I recognized from a television interview just days after the crimes.
She was composed, but clearly deeply burdened and saddened, she was supported by a circle of friends and family.
Dr Petit was not there, something tells me that he is not ready to see the killers of his wife and children. It is understandable.

I gleaned a bit of new insight as well as some new information about the ongoing case- although as I said, this was not my reason for going. I still am not certain why I went, but I do know that i was deeply compelled to be there. I believe that I wanted to honor the Petits in some way and perhaps because of my own history with the Connecticut judicial ystem, be a bit of a watchdog for everyone who has been affected by this crime.


Anger welled up several times this morning, along with indigence and a fleeting sense of voyeurism into this surreal that just seemed hollow and almost fruitless. When the
hearing ended it was 11; 30 am. It started at 11;04..

Several things stuck with me all day. One was the appearance of the defendant steven Hayes.
All of the media photos we've seen were taken the day of the arrest or were previous mugshots from other arrests or paroles. He looks like a proverbial thug in these pictures; slightly under average height, stocky or pudgy with a decidedly ugly mean countenance- this is an ugly from the inside, of the soul , A darkness in the eyes that you cannot hide.

Today he appeared a different person. At first I thought that this was the wrong man, Then the clerk said his name- And I had to squint to get a better look. He was standing 4 rows ahead of me and somewhat on the diagonal, there were a few benches partially obstructing my view.
He was surprisingly short, 5' 5" at the most and he had apparently lost a lot of weight- His head, previously shaved aka I wanna look like a bad guy, now had tufts of blackish grayish hair sprouting out of it.

He admitted upon the judges questioning that he was on daily medication-presumably for pain and "anxiety".The judge apparently worried that he was able to make decisions regarding his case with a clear head today. He said "oh yes" way too earnestly.

He seemed to be shrinking, diminishing, and I admit that I found a modicum of satisfaction in this. I wanted to believe that with nothing but time on his hands he realized the despicably of his acts and as a result his body began to reflect his conscience.
In reality, he is probably merely responding to the seriousness of his own predicament.