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Section 54-100 – Method of inflicting death penalty. Attendance at execution

May 11, 2021 | Connecticut, Criminal Procedure

(a) The method of inflicting the punishment of death shall be by continuous intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a quantity sufficient to cause death, in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Commissioner of Correction in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health. The Commissioner of Correction shall direct a warden of an appropriate correctional institution to appoint a suitable person or persons to perform the duty of executing sentences of the court requiring the infliction of the death penalty. Such person or persons shall receive, for such duty, such compensation as is determined by the Commissioner of Correction. When any person is sentenced to death by any court of this state having competent jurisdiction, he shall, within twenty days after final sentence, be conveyed to an appropriate correctional institution and such punishment shall be inflicted only within the walls of said institution, within an enclosure to be prepared for that purpose under direction of the warden of said institution. Such enclosure shall be so constructed as to exclude public view.
(b) Besides the warden or deputy warden and such number of correctional staff as he thinks necessary, the following persons may be present at the execution: The Commissioner of Correction, a physician, a clergyman in attendance upon the prisoner and such other adults, as the prisoner may designate, not exceeding three in number, news media representatives and such other persons as the commissioner deems appropriate. The total number of witnesses permitted at an execution shall be governed by space and security requirements and the Commissioner of Correction shall make the final determination of such number. News media representatives present at an execution shall include representatives of newspapers, broadcasters and news services, who shall report on behalf of all news media. The number of news media representatives present at an execution shall be nine, except that the commissioner, in his discretion, may authorize a greater number of such representatives or, for specified reasons of space or security, may reduce such number of representatives. The commissioner may exclude a witness for specified reasons of security.

Conn. Gen. Stat. ยง 54-100

(1949 Rev., S. 8816; 1963, P.A. 28, S. 6; P.A. 74-84; P.A. 95-16, S. 1, 5; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-180, S. 130, 166; P.A. 97-184, S. 1.)

Cited. 121 Conn. 197. Death penalty does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment and courts will not vitiate legislative determination of punishment for crimes. 158 Conn. 341. Cited. 238 C. 389.