jennifer hoch had it was raped, strangled and murdered. inhalation after the home was set ablaze. joshua and stephen presentence to death for the mergers but now their lives and the lives of ten other men will be scared. the state supreme court ruled 4-3 that the death penalty is unconstitutional. writing for the majority justice richard palmer said the state's death penalty no longer comports with contemporary standards of decency and no longer serves any legitimate and a logical purpose. is evidence of a growing national opposition to the death penalty although only applies to connecticut, it could be cited in other states that a grappling with capital punishment. for those whose lives have been torn apart the ruling rubs salt in wounds that never fully healed. dr. william pettit his wife and daughters were murdered in the cheshire home invasion criticized the ruling in a statement saying the death penalty and its application is a highly charged topic with profound emotional impact particularly on the victims and their loved ones. in 2004 new york's highest court declared the de