Sen. Len Suzio: Petitions to Circulate in Meriden; More than 600 Signatures So Far

Sen. Len Suzio on August 3 stood with the son of murder victim Ibrahim Ghazal and the state’s Victim Advocate to launch a petition drive calling for the state to suspend a program that allows violent Connecticut felons to be released early from prison.Ibrahim was shot and killed during a June 27 robbery.

Frankie Resto, the man accused of killing Ghazal, was able to earn 199 days of credit while behind bars for a robbery conviction. Resto was released from prison in April and Suzio said that those credits allowed him to walk free sooner than he should have. Resto is currently facing a felony murder charge.

"The response from the public has been tremendous," Suzio said. "In the past 24 hours, more than 600 people have signed the petition online at www.senatorsuzio.com . This drive has just begun, and we won’t stop until the governor suspends the early release program so that its impact on public safety can be investigated."

Suzio is circulating the petition throughout Meriden, Cheshire, Middletown and Middlefield. He said he will stand outside convenience stores, grocery stores and other public places gathering signatures.

"Without the early release law, Mr. Ghazal would be alive today," Suzio said. "The power to change this policy is in the public’s hands. We will continue to gather signatures to show the governor that this policy is ill-conceived and jeopardizes public safety."

The state’s Victim Advocate Michelle Cruz recently learned that 7,589 inmates have been released from prison early under the state's 9-m

onth-old early release program. More than 10 percent of those inmates have already been returned to custody.

The following is a partial list of criminal convictions eligible for reduced prison sentences in Connecticut under the early release law:

• Rape.

• Kidnapping.

• Arson.

• First-degree manslaughter.

• Assault of a pregnant woman.

• First-degree assault.

• Second-degree strangulation.

• First-degree threatening.

• Having sex with someone under the age of 13

• Assault of a blind or disabled person.

• Animal cruelty.

Sign the petition at www.senatorsuzio.com .

Those who wish to sign a print version of the petition and circulate petitions may contact Suzio at 800 842 1421.