Conn. legislature approves repeal of death penalty

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The Connecticut legislature has voted to repeal the state's death penalty, and the Democratic governor is expected to sign it into law. That would make the state the 17th to end capital punishment.

The House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill 86-62 on Wednesday.

The bill would abolish the death penalty and replace it with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. It would not affect the sentences of the 11 inmates already on Connecticut's death row.

The proposal cleared its biggest hurdle last week when it won approval in the state Senate.

Connecticut has executed only one inmate in 51 years.

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