If all had gone to plan, a brutal serial killer in Hartford would now be the first person in 45 years to get the death penalty in New England. The killer, Michael Ross, was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of eight women under the age of 25 between 1981 and 1984. Ross actually requested to be killed quickly, but agreed to halt his execution at the last minute so that his mental competency could be examined. It’s getting interesting here in Connecticut.
His death has been postponed three times in the last week, and now it’s uncertain when he will receive a new execution date, as the death warrant against him has expired. Because of the rarity of northeast executions and the drama surrounding the case, the story has received worldwide attention. If Ross’ death sentence is overturned, it could set a major precedent for the future of the death penalty in New England.
A number of Wesleyan students have also been paying attention. Members of groups such as WesAmnesty have driven to Hartford a number of times to protest what was then an impending execution.
Living inside the Wesleyan bubble, the story hasn’t gotten the attention on campus that, say, Ralph Nader’s appearance did. Many of us are legal residents of Connecticut and have spent the bulk of the past few years here, but all too often local news slips past our collective radar. For the first time in a while, big news is happening in our backyard, and doesn’t require a bus trip to New York or Washington, D.C. to give our full attention.
The media tends to have attention deficit disorder. The death penalty has not been a serious issue in some years. Similarly, homelessness and the rainforest are rarely mentioned anymore, but continue to be important. At Wesleyan we are good at sticking to our guns when it comes to issues that get pushed under the rug, and with history ready to be made, we have a great opportunity to be part of it.
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