Post by CCADP on May 17, 2005 12:15:23 GMT -5
WHY I CHOOSE DEATH RATHER THAN TO FIGHT FOR LIFE
By Michael P. Ross #127404
My name is Michael Ross. I am a convicted serial killer who has
murdered eight women in three states. In July of 1987 I received six
death sentences for the murders of several young women in the State of
Connecticut. My death sentences were overturned in July of 1994 by the
Connecticut State Supreme Court, who ruled that my original penalty phase was
flawed and ordered a new capital penalty phase be held to determine whether I
should be resentenced to death or given multiple sentences of life without the
possibility of release (the alternative to the death penalty in this state).
For reasons, which I will try to explain in this article, I decided that I would no
longer fight the imposition of the death penalty in my case. I was forced to fire my
public defenders - who quite understandable opposed my decision - and in early
1995 Judge Purtill in New London Superior Court granted my request to proceed
pro se (as my own counsel). For the past two and a half years,
This case has bounced around from the Superior Court to the Connecticut Supreme
Court and back to the Superior Court level again. During this time T have worked
with C. Robert Satti, Sr., the prosecutor who successfully tried my case and put me
on death row over a decade ago. Mr. Satti, who retired three years ago, is acting as
a Special State's Attorney overseeing the prosecution of my case. While T have
been actively working with Mr. Satti to create a set of stipulations that would result
in my being resentenced to death, Mr. Patrick Culligan, Chief of Trial Services for
the Division of Public Defender Services has been working just as hard in his
position as "Amicus Counsel, (a position designated by Judge Purtill to advise the
court) to prevent any agreement from going forward that would circumvent the
need for a full-blown penalty bearing from taking place.
Few people truly understand why I have chosen to accept the death penalty as
opposed to at least trying to fight for my life. Because T believe that it is very
important for not only the legal system, but the public at large to understand why I
have chosen this unusual path that will lead to my consensual execution T have
decided to write this article. It is my hope, that through this article, I will be able to
help the general public to better understand the motivations and reasoning behind
my actions that have led me to the point that the proceedings are at today.
There is a lot of misinformation floating around about why I have chosen to accept
the death penalty instead of pursuing a new penalty capital sentencing phase and
fighting for my life. I've heard that I am suicidal. I've had my competency
questioned and in fact have undergone a court-ordered competency exam before T
was allowed to dismiss my public defenders and proceed pro se I've heard that I
would prefer to be executed rather than to spend the rest of my natural life in
prison. I've even heard that this is all reverse psychology - that by asking for the
death penalty, I am in fact hoping to receive a life sentence.
My decision to accept the death penalty was not an easy one. The death penalty is
a serious punishment. It is not something to be taken lightly. Indeed, I have done
much soul-searching over the years that I have been confined on death row. And
while I would not recommend this decision to any other death row inmate, I am
convinced that this is the morally right decision for me. I will try to explain.
To begin with, I would like to state for the record that I have no animosity towards
Mr. Culligan and the Public 'Defender's office in general. Given the undisputed
facts, the death penalty is clearly inappropriate in my particular case under the old
capital punishment law that applies to me - a non-weighing law that dictates that the
death penalty cannot be imposed if a single mitigating factor exists. The objection of
the Public Defender's Office to the arranged stipulations between the state and
myself is entirely appropriate given the circumstances of my case. I cannot fault
them for doing what they believe is right - but they must realize that I must do what
I believe is right as well.
Personally, I applaud the public defender's position against capital punishment. I
fully agree with their stance. I myself oppose capital punishment and over the years
that I have been on death row I have authored numerous articles about why I
believe it is wrong for any state or government to judicially execute its citizens for
any reason. By my estimate, the many anti-capital punishment articles that I have
written over the years have been published over 150 times in various books,
magazines, newspapers and newsletters. So I am fully aware of the arguments
made by the Public Defender's Office, and I fully support their position and efforts
to bring about the abolition of capital punishment in this state.
By Michael P. Ross #127404
My name is Michael Ross. I am a convicted serial killer who has
murdered eight women in three states. In July of 1987 I received six
death sentences for the murders of several young women in the State of
Connecticut. My death sentences were overturned in July of 1994 by the
Connecticut State Supreme Court, who ruled that my original penalty phase was
flawed and ordered a new capital penalty phase be held to determine whether I
should be resentenced to death or given multiple sentences of life without the
possibility of release (the alternative to the death penalty in this state).
For reasons, which I will try to explain in this article, I decided that I would no
longer fight the imposition of the death penalty in my case. I was forced to fire my
public defenders - who quite understandable opposed my decision - and in early
1995 Judge Purtill in New London Superior Court granted my request to proceed
pro se (as my own counsel). For the past two and a half years,
This case has bounced around from the Superior Court to the Connecticut Supreme
Court and back to the Superior Court level again. During this time T have worked
with C. Robert Satti, Sr., the prosecutor who successfully tried my case and put me
on death row over a decade ago. Mr. Satti, who retired three years ago, is acting as
a Special State's Attorney overseeing the prosecution of my case. While T have
been actively working with Mr. Satti to create a set of stipulations that would result
in my being resentenced to death, Mr. Patrick Culligan, Chief of Trial Services for
the Division of Public Defender Services has been working just as hard in his
position as "Amicus Counsel, (a position designated by Judge Purtill to advise the
court) to prevent any agreement from going forward that would circumvent the
need for a full-blown penalty bearing from taking place.
Few people truly understand why I have chosen to accept the death penalty as
opposed to at least trying to fight for my life. Because T believe that it is very
important for not only the legal system, but the public at large to understand why I
have chosen this unusual path that will lead to my consensual execution T have
decided to write this article. It is my hope, that through this article, I will be able to
help the general public to better understand the motivations and reasoning behind
my actions that have led me to the point that the proceedings are at today.
There is a lot of misinformation floating around about why I have chosen to accept
the death penalty instead of pursuing a new penalty capital sentencing phase and
fighting for my life. I've heard that I am suicidal. I've had my competency
questioned and in fact have undergone a court-ordered competency exam before T
was allowed to dismiss my public defenders and proceed pro se I've heard that I
would prefer to be executed rather than to spend the rest of my natural life in
prison. I've even heard that this is all reverse psychology - that by asking for the
death penalty, I am in fact hoping to receive a life sentence.
My decision to accept the death penalty was not an easy one. The death penalty is
a serious punishment. It is not something to be taken lightly. Indeed, I have done
much soul-searching over the years that I have been confined on death row. And
while I would not recommend this decision to any other death row inmate, I am
convinced that this is the morally right decision for me. I will try to explain.
To begin with, I would like to state for the record that I have no animosity towards
Mr. Culligan and the Public 'Defender's office in general. Given the undisputed
facts, the death penalty is clearly inappropriate in my particular case under the old
capital punishment law that applies to me - a non-weighing law that dictates that the
death penalty cannot be imposed if a single mitigating factor exists. The objection of
the Public Defender's Office to the arranged stipulations between the state and
myself is entirely appropriate given the circumstances of my case. I cannot fault
them for doing what they believe is right - but they must realize that I must do what
I believe is right as well.
Personally, I applaud the public defender's position against capital punishment. I
fully agree with their stance. I myself oppose capital punishment and over the years
that I have been on death row I have authored numerous articles about why I
believe it is wrong for any state or government to judicially execute its citizens for
any reason. By my estimate, the many anti-capital punishment articles that I have
written over the years have been published over 150 times in various books,
magazines, newspapers and newsletters. So I am fully aware of the arguments
made by the Public Defender's Office, and I fully support their position and efforts
to bring about the abolition of capital punishment in this state.