As a jury found Steven Hayes guilty on 16 counts in the murders of his wife and children, William Petit thanked them for the “appropriate” action and called for more good judgment as the trial moves into the penalty phase.
Petit (at left in photo below) made those remarks in a press appearance outside Superior Court on Church Street at 1 p.m. Tuesday, where the jury had just found Hayes guilty of 16 of 17 counts — all except first-degree arson — in the murders of Petit’s wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and their daughters, Hayley and Michaela, in a Cheshire home invasion that caught the nation’s attention for its brutality.
Outside the courthouse, a dozen TV camera tripods stood on the sidewalk awaiting his arrival.
Melissa Bailey Photo
Petit’s sister, Johanna Petit Chapman (at right in photo), pressed her head to his shoulder as he spoke to the media. He thanked the jury for its “due diligence” and “reaching what we thought was an appropriate verdict.” (Click on the play arrow above to watch his remarks.)
“We hope they will continue to use the same diligence and clarity of thought” as the trial moves in to the penalty phase on Oct. 18, he added.
Of the 16 guilty charges, six carry the death penalty.
A reporter asked Petit if the verdict brought relief.
“There is some relief, but my family is still gone,” he replied. “It doesn’t bring them back. It doesn’t bring back the home that we had.”
The Petit case has impacted the state’s handling of crime and punishment. William Petit convinced Gov. M. Jodi Rell to veto a bill that would have overturned the death penalty. The case also led to a new state law making home invasion a Class A felony punishable by at least 10 years in prison; that law led to 18 – 20-year sentences for home invaders who struck in New Haven’s East Rock neighborhood.
Tuesday’s verdict also promises to enter the state gubernatorial campaign. One candidate, Democrat Dan Malloy, has stuck with his opposition to the death penalty when asked about the Petit case. His Republican opponent, Tom Foley, supports the death penalty. The question is bound to come up Tuesday night as the two candidates meet for their first statewide televised debate.
Malloy issued this statement in the wake of Tuesday’s verdict: ““The justice system is working as it should. My heart goes out to Dr. Petit, his
family, and their friends. I pray for them that this entire process ends as soon as possible, and that justice is done.”
Attorney Katie Rohner has followed the case from the courtroom. Read installments of her Petit Trial Court Diary:
• Day One: Deceptive Calm
• Day Two: It Was All About “The Girls”
• Day Three: Defense Strategy Emerges: Spread The Blame
• Day Four: Pieces Fall Into Place
• Day Five: Numbers Tell A Story
• Day Six: Suffering Takes Center Stage
• Day Seven: A Gagged Order
• Day Eight: A Quilt & A Puppet Theater Bring Home The Horror