Judge Denies Cheshire Killer's Request to Die Sooner

A Superior Court judge has denied convicted killer Steven Hayes’ request to waive his appeals and proceed to execution, according to the Hartford Courant.

The Courant reports Hayes, 52, currently on death row for the 2007 Cheshire home invasion triple homicide, petitioned to have his death sentence carried out because delays in the state’s automatic, and mandatory for capital cases, appeal is forcing him to live in “hostile” conditions where he is “psychologically tormented” by prison staff daily.

Hayes wrote the following in his petition, via the Courant:

“I was sentenced to death, I deserve my sentence, I was not sentenced to years of psychological torment, physical abuse and neglect until my appeal can be heard. If not for the mandatory aspect of this appeal, I could choose to freely have my sentence imposed. The direct appeal takes away my freedom of choice and is now forcing me to live as I am.”

However, the judge ruled that the relief sought by Hayes is not available, according to the Courant.

Read more at the Hartford Courant here.

Hayes sued the state Department of Correction last August and claimed his rights were being violated because he wasn’t being given a kosher diet to conform to his religious beliefs. The motion was rejected.