Kudos for publishing a well thought out article by Charles Lane, "Conn.'s conflicted death penalty repeal," (May 2), about the conundrum the death penalty repeal presents. For anyone who has watched Law and Order, it is a slam dunk that the 11 now residing on death row will have their sentences reduced to life. Every pathetic lawmaker who voted for this nonsense knows it.

I concur with the writer that rhetoric and moralizing have no place in debate, and would have greatly appreciated The Day printing this insightful commentary as the legislative debate was taking place.

I would like to take issue with one point the article raised though. Overturning the will of over 66 percent of voters in Connecticut who supported this law isn't morally courageous, it is morally repugnant. Advancing a personal agenda because they know better than us flies in the face of representative democracy. I hope voters remember this betrayal come election time.

I pray for those in working in prisons who have been shielded from the most violent offenders with life sentences by a provision that allowed for the death penalty for killing a corrections officer. What now, no Jello? I hope our governor hasn't given corrections officers the death penalty.