No doubt, if more people would arm themselves and kill these predators when they break into their homes these monsters may reconsider even trying a home invasion.

rightvswrong; I agree with you 100%. The article didn't really say how these guys got into the home but it would have been nice if at least one of them had and knew how to use a firearm, this terrible tragedy may have been avoided. Too many people oppose homeowners from having a weapon to protect themselves, often saying it's best to just call the police. Well, here's another case where the cops arrive way too late. Very, very sad story.

Totally agree Lao Tzu, I would not ever wish to take someone's life, but I would choose my family's lives and my life above some hooligan any day..

rightvswrong: Come to Texas, the castle law is in place and it also applies to your car, thugs like this are killed almost daily by people defending themselves.

I am sure you have heard all the adages i.e "unarmed citizen is a victim" & "when seconds count, the police are just minutes away" etc., unfortunately most are quite true and therefore you are the only one who can defend yourself from predators like this.

Amen to all of the above. My wife is as proficient with our 12 gauge as I am. I wouldn't suggest coming in uninvited! Fry these bastards!

As I have said before: Put each of them in a wooden crate; nail the lids shut; then tell them their final destination is the local crematorium. If there is room in the oven, put them both in and light 'er up. Now they can listen to each other scream their last breaths. Their remains then, should be recycled at the local sewage treatment plant.

@rightvswrong: I don't disagree with you, but just understand that's not the perfect solution either. If someone intends to enter a home, odds are they can. It doesn't really take as much as we like to think it does. And having a gun is only a great defense if you have the chance to use it.

This is a pro-gun argument I do hear alot, about how crime would be better kept under control if more people were packing heat. However, that theory is flawed because it never tells you what those same criminals would do if everyone had a gun. Crime wouldn't stop just because there is a fear of guns, it would just become deadly faster.

I know that sounds odd, but think about it. If I'm a mugger and few in the city are walking around with a weapon, then a threat of violence and minor violence will allow me to mug someone. If I know that most people are carrying around guns, I'm still a mugger and I'm desperate, then odds are rather than take the risk of mugging an armed person, maybe I'd just shoot someone and rob the corpse. Desperate people don't care if that's extreme.

Anyway, just an opinion there. Back on topic: I agree with the death penalty, but not for revenge as the original poster has it. Torturing these fools won't change their crimes. Instead they need to no longer be a blight on society. I don't feel they are able to reform, because actions that were deliberate like this doesn't lend itself well to the idea of reformation. Put them to death by whatever means needed, but for me it's because they don't need to be a problem on society anymore. Putting them in jail just means we the taxpayers get to afford them for longer.

A little dog would have saved them by barking. All were caught sleeping....500 guns would not have saved them.

Fenix8452: Your idiocy goes beyod words. People diesd burned alive and you say torturing the criminals would serve no purpose ? I assure you such scum would think twice before attacking a house with occupants likely to be armed AND rhinking athat if caught, they would not be sentenced to jail or die an easy death, but a horrific one.

Sheep as you is one reason crimes like that happen. Thugs expect little resistance and light sentences.

Death by stoning would be appropriate in this case. Maybe Iran would be willing to take these scumbags out for a little sport.

With all the high tech gadgets we have today, and the bombardment by alarm company commercials showing guys breaking into homes; with the advent of "Home Invasions" (A term never heard before a few short years ago). Most families don't think it could happen to them. In my situation, we have a very large dog who sleeps down stairs and hears everything. We know immediately if anyone comes even close to our home. I am a retired owner of a sporting goods store (hunting, fishing, camping, ect. ect.) I am also a gunsmith. I own firearms and I know what I need to protect my home if someone gets through our first line of defense. It WILL be my word against no word from an invader to my home. There will be no taped interview with any home invader to my house. Having said that, a security system for the home is a great idea, even if it just sounds a deafening, obnoxious alarm outside the home. Friends in Law Enforcement have told me time and again that most often a barking dog will deter most problems. Criminals don't like dogs.

Ditto. I have an adorable jack russel that barks like a rottweiler. He can the neighbors. No one comes down the block without the neighborhood knowing about it. (He knows the difference between the neighbors, their friends and relatives and a stranger.)

I agree that injection is too good for these two. I would also go as far as to say that stoning is too good, as is the cremation idea.

Let me pose this concept. How bout tying them to a bed and pouring gasoline over them like they did to the two girls? Anyone?

I don't know the backgrounds of the two "perps", but would be willing to bet they were no strangers to the "justice system". We tend to give too many chances to criminals, never REALLY punishing them until they are totally immersed in a life of crime. If we were tougher on first time offenders, there would be fewer first time offenders. People shouldn't NEED alarm systems and loud dogs to feel safe in their homes. In countries like Singapore where they are much tougher on crime, they have a lot less crime.

Notice how all the normally vocal anti-gun nuts haven't really chimed in yet? I guess their argument is really a very selective one. I do caution that we not lose focus of the victims and feel the loss along with. My heart really goes out to them , their friends and family. I dont want to get too caught up trying to prove something to the knuckleheads at the true expense to the family.

@yeldarb27:

That's easy. The title of the article doesn't say anything about anyone being killed with guns.

(They generally only read the title and then start off on the same exact cut-and-paste rant no matter what the actual story)

Jon King, these people weren't asleep in their beds, they were watching tv. The criminals tied them up in their beds and then poured gas on them.

A gun in the home is 40 times more likely to kill a family member than an intruder. Yes it's a cool fantasy.....rapist breaks into home and is killed by heroic gunowner....much more often is the reality of a child killing himself or another with the parents firearm.

How this story was hijacked by the gun fanatics is a shame.

I'm all for arming ones self, but why does everyone here think that by owning a gun would've prevented this tragedy? Do you really think that after an intruder breaks into a home and confronts you...they're going to listen to you say, "Now hold on one second - - I'm going to retrieve my Smith & Wesson so I can shoot your dumb stupid ass!" No ****-g way that's going to happen! Committed burglars and robbers operate quickly and stealthily - - they enter trying to avoid detection, then confront quickly and decisively if necessary! They aren't going to allow you to retrieve any weapons that you may legally or illegally own! Unless you're packing like Clint Eastwood 24/7...then maybe you've got a chance!

Kevin D, you don't know what you are talking about. That's only the ones you hear of in the media, it's against the media's dogma to print the stories of the ones saved because someone had a gun. You only hear the numbers the media generates, which always includes gang shootings of teens shooting each other, which shouldn't count as firearm accidents in the house. You sheep keep on relying on your ideas, I'll rely on my M&P.

get a copy of the American Rifleman magazine and read the article on local instances of Americans defending themselves in their home.

It disgusts me to read about those who are so concerned about the rights of these scumbags. If the husband were armed and defended his family and himself I have little doubt it would be he who is standing trial since Connecticut is one of those states that forbids one from defending oneself.

If they had an alarm system and were armed this may have turned out very differently. Does being armed guarantee a better outcome? The answer is no but not being armed guaranteed the actual outcome.

This is what our country's wonderful "revolving" prison and jail doors are accomplishing.

Constantly freeing criminals who've obviously got something wrong in their heads free, so that they can roam the countryside to prey on innocent victimes agian and again - who just happens to be in their path of death and destruction, dosen't sound like too good of a deal for us unsuspecting citizens.

Criminals should have no rights to get out and continue the same or worst rampage amongst innocent citizens - once they've been labeled criminal and removed from society.

Let 'em rot in a maximum security lockup somewhere, and criminalize each other for all I care. And who ever came up with this "rehabilitation" is just as nutz as the prisoners. Just look how well it's been working out for 'em.

1st, most muggers are not killers. If they think there is a good chance you are armed, they will move on. Murderers are expecting resistance and, therefore, you had better be packing and you had better know how to use it. A gun is your only chance, bottom line.

Don't listen to anyone telling you you're not better off armed. If you are not armed, you are dead or at least a victim! If you are armed, than you have a chance at survival. If someone tells you guns are not the answer, they are clueless and you are better off not listening to their ignorance again.

Buy a gun, take firearm safety classes, take courses on self defense with and without a gun, fire your weapon on a regular basis and become very proficient with it. Get a concealed weapon permit and carry your protection everywhere it is legal. You should also educate your children, if you have them, by taking them to the classes as well. You do this, and you and your family will have a much higher chance of surviving a situation like the situation these unfortunate victims had.

If someone just kicked your door in and is running up your steps and you have a phone and a gun next to your bed, which one is the better choice to grab first? For those of you with a gun, you know the answer. For the rest of you without a gun, good luck dialing while the criminal is beating the crap out of you or shooting you with his gun.

You do not live in "Utopia" and you never will. You live on Earth and there are plenty of scum bags out there willing to take your life or the lives of your family members and it is everyone's responsibility to protect themselves and their loved ones. If you don't, you are guilty of letting crimes like this happen. You can be as liberal as you want, but don't exonerate yourself of the responsibility of protecting yourself and your family.

Flogging with steel wires would be a good warmup, but for most painful execution we need to get medieval with them. Either draw and quarter them (tie them down, make an incision in their lower abdomen and slowly pull out their intestines, then set their entrails on fire, then tear their limbs off) or break them on the wheel (tie them to a wagon wheel and break all their major bones with a sledgehammer then let them slowly die). Perhaps a Native American method of slowly roasting them over hot coals.

slow roasting them over hot coals is an idea but that concept was around in many countrys and it was used in Salem during their witch hunts.

All the death penalty will do is ensure these two will live separated from the general population in prison for 10 to 20 years while their appeals are heard. If they are given life in prison with no possibility of parole they will suffer everyday for the rest of their lives, because even criminals hate rapists and child killers! I am sure these two were aware of the death penalty before they did this. The death penalty doesn't prevent people from killing and it won't bring these three precious lives back.

As to the mode of execution, how about staking them down on a fire ant den and pouring honey over their gonads???

I do not think they should be executed.

I think they should spend their lives in prison.....separated and restricted to areas housing ethnic gangs of other races.

Such a sad story. With the anger nearly everyone must feel from this incident, it's EASY to talk about capital punishment and torturing the perps. What's not easy is to recognize those guys are human just like us and if we sink to their level we are nothing more than barbarians. These guys should never see the light of day again, but they should not be killed or tortured.

Hey all you who think they will get theirs in prison, YOU ARE SOOOOO WRONG. IF the are given life in prison they will live in protective custody with all the other rapists and child molesters/killers. The system is forbidden to let other inmates take advantage of them so would everyone please stop saying they will get whats comming to them with life in prison? My gun save my life and everytime I read stories like this it breaks my heart. A fire arm will work 100 times better than a phone PERIOD. A intruder isnt scared of your phone that he can easily disconnect or knocked out of your hand....

In reality, the person or persons who commit these horrific crimes always have the advantage of knowing what and who they are going to attack while we the victims do not have that knowledge.

I am not against guns, but being a gun owner I know my gun is not always going to be within arms reach for me to use if someone already has me as a target.

I agree that these men should be put to death and I am not so sure I would want a quick death for them either. Even though I do not know this family, it hurts to know that these dirty vile, evil men hurt this mother and her daughters and made them suffer.

Let the Husband decide

Konrad Szwab

Fenix8452: Your idiocy goes beyod words. People diesd burned alive and you say torturing the criminals would serve no purpose ? I assure you such scum would think twice before attacking a house with occupants likely to be armed AND rhinking athat if caught, they would not be sentenced to jail or die an easy death, but a horrific one.

Sheep as you is one reason crimes like that happen. Thugs expect little resistance and light sentences.

Really, I'm an idiot because I see that no amount of torture will make up for their crimes? Then you see torture as a form of justice? Last I heard, they still have crime in places with torture, where they cut off the hands of thieves, they still steal. When screwing the neighbors wife results in death by stoning and PEOPLE STILL DO IT, then your suggestion that a barbaric torture session will prevent this type of violence is ignorant at best, and idiodic at worst.

Don't assure me on what a criminal would do. I'm not living in an ivory tower somewhere. Criminals will break the law, they will commit violence, and 2000 years of written history shows that regardless to the consequences criminals will still exist. Do you really believe that people crazy enough to burn crying children to death really put alot of thought into their futures?

So I say again, what would torture accomplish? It wouldn't bring their victims back, it wouldn't right any wrongs. I'm not saying to forgive them, that is beyond my ability. But believing in torture as punishment, seeing that as just, and arguing with someone that torture will somehow have any purpose beyond vengence... No, I'll keep my idiocy just so I can be seperated from you.

Yesvesee

I want them tortured too. Every time I think about this horrific act, I cry. I can not even imagine the horror. It's terrible. Torture is the only way I will feel satisfied.

Death is way too good but what we can do?

what I don't see is the caption "if convicted",

That's because msnbc's reporters can not post headline if their lives depended on it.

And this comment right here:

Torture is the only way I will feel satisfied.

Understand that honestly it's perfectly natural to want revenge. Believe me, I'm in the same boat on that end. I wish there were some way to really make them pay. But there is a difference between what is just and what would satisfy my hunger for revenge. The law cannot fall subject to just doing what would feed into peoples need for revenge.

And I say again, it would have no purpose. A simple death might be too good for them, but so what? The point of putting them to death is to make sure they can never cause the living another problem.

Now, on a related note, I do find lethal injection to be way way way too complicated and costly to be using. Our process for putting prisoners to death is horrid because of our over-sensetivity. A bullet is cheap, and 10 are still cheap and would ensure the persons death. The entire process, including paying the shooter(s) should be less than $100, including the dignity of a final meal (which many can easily argue they don't even deserve that).

So where does that put me? I agree that they should be put to death, they are not worth allowing to live, I'm convinced they will never be productive members of our society. I don't agree with our current methods for the death penalty, it's wasteful and costly. But I will never subscribe to torture being a lawful way of punishment.

I am somewhat amazed at the rational of some of the posters here that claim they are against the death penalty. They say things like “put them in prison with those violent inmates that hate child rapists so they will suffer”, etc. I think they’re expecting the prison dregs to torture and/or kill them, which is like saying “please do to them what society doesn’t have the spine to do” and when they are found dead, society’s conscience is clear.

Kevin please stop whining. If the man or woman of the house had been able to grab a handgun or shotgun, they all would be alive today and the hooligan now dead with no taxpayer burden until his appeals run out. Gun safety needs to be taught to all family members.

Again, I am a gun owner but not a gun nut but you had better bet that if this poor man now was allowed to make a choice of a gun in his house with a family, or no gun and no family, he would get on his knees and thank to the good Lord for that so-called 40:1 odds and still have his family.

YELDARB27...I also own guns, but unless you are going to always carry that gun in your hand you still have no guarantees that it will be within arms reach whenever needed or that it would have saved this family from this horrific crime. As much as I would like to agree with you, I know that is not always the case.

Carin - No, there's no guarantees. But it's better than nothing, and a chance to level the playing field.

StoneCold-363654...You are right ..... I only wish we had an answer that could prevent this from happening to another family.

It is so sad.

And to top things off I just experienced a loss of a good friend yesterday afternoon, when he was shot dead by three punk kid thug ganster wanna-bes in the city of Portsmouth VA. Look on-line at Wavy10 news if you would like to confirm.

This guy never hurt anyone, his only fault was unlocking the door at a gold resale business he was operating for a another friend/the owner so he could go out of town. Yes the police have the three on video and one day maybe they will be caught but that will not bring him back.

If he just would have had the equalizer, maybe, just maybe, things would have been different.

Now a good man, a good friend, and loyal husband of a wonderful wife for thirty something years is gone just that fast. God bless and look after his friends and family. No gun debate now will help any of us.

My understanding is they officially entered "not guilty" pleas despite all the evidence against them because the prosecution wouldn't cut them any deals and are seeking the death penalty. The criminals know the jury will find them guilty, but are hoping to avoid a death sentence by bringing it to trial.

The trial goes on because it must. If we are to have law, we must abide by it. The law says they are entitled to a trial and a defense. At this point it isn't doubting he's guilty, it's a matter of his sentencing and how he will pay for his crimes.

I just wish it were less costly and quicker to deal with cases like this. If found guilty, I hope the death penalty is invoked. Not that I really wish death on these men (I probably would if I new the victims), but crimes like this are so beyond any realm of sanity that I don't have any faith they could be made into productive members of society. So remove the problem like a cancer.

I don't have a problem with them getting a trial, but honestly I don't care which one was "in charge." They are both participants and they are both guilty of rape and murder. I guess the defense attorney has to say SOMETHING, though.

The jury's deliberations shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.

If they move immediately to the penalty phase they should be done in about 15 minutes.

If our justice system had any backbone they could deliver this cretin's body to an unmarked grave by dinner time.

The defense was willing to cut a deal - plead guilty, life in prison, but no death penalty - but the prosecution would not agree to it.

One guy didn't even go for the 17 year old...he went for the 11 year old. They both deserve the death penalty. The guy who raped the 11 year old should first have his privates chewed off by a weasel.

The only thing I could hope for is that people recognize that they need to protect themselves.

The prosectuion was smart! No need to cut a deal with these dog t*rds! Anything less than the death penalty would be a weak statement for our legal system!

They both desire the needle. There is no need for be savage about it. Right after the death penalty is ordered, tie em' down in a chair and give them the injection. Right in fornot of the judge, jury, and any other interested party that can fit in the court room. Quit screwing around and "get er' done"

We could save some tax dollars by dropping these killers in the coldest, remote parts of the south or north poles and let nature take its course, then they could be polar bear food.

It's hard to watch tax dollars be spent on people like this, but since it's part of our justice system, we can't circumvent it for anyone. Not even in cases where one would think it's obvious. Innocent until proven guilty and all that jazz.

Still rough to watch.

I agree 100% in those 20 years they receive a place to live, free food, free medical, free dental, free attorneys. More care than a majority of law abiding citizens. They should be marched out immediately after the death penalty is announced and executed.

actually, according to christian doctrine, if they confess their guilt to go and are sincerely repentant, they will be forgiven and go to heaven. we don't KNOW who will go to heaven or who will not. we just don't know.

doesn't seem fair somehow, does it???

Yes do the Christian thing for these poor men.

Torture them until they confess, then burn them at the stake.

We gotta back up the father then!

Agreed! Eye-for-an-eye. Torture the sh!t out of them! Good method cjc-sac. They should experience such severe pain their bodies can no longer take it and they die. And then someone should poop on their dead corpse.

fishhooks...

Big, fat check from the tax payers and the longer he drags out this case, the more money he makes. Now you know one of the many reasons why people hate lawyers.

I agree....Not sure about there, but in most places if you are committing a Felony and in the process of doing that someone gets killed by the other guy, you are just as guilty of that murder....

F**k em both....

I too find it inconcivable that one of the lawyers could defend his client saying he was being made to, he only joined in as the crimes escalated.... what crap, both are just a guilty. This nation needs to go back to quick executions, the hell with appeals, victims have suffered more than criminals, this needs to stop.

And while they wait for their appeal, they need to be placed in GENERAL POPULATION in prison.

There are a LOT of seriously hardened criminals in prison that would do anything to be with their families and don't look too highly of rapists and child killers. The guards aren't too sympathetic either...

They'd never make it to the second trial. That would save a lot of taxpayer $$

Painful or not, it doesn't make a difference to me. They need to be dealt with swiftly. Once convicted - off to the chamber.

don't worry pal both these fuchers are going bye bye. i know i live in the state it happened. right now these 2 vermin are isolated.but wait it gets better. they'll get the death sentence there's no getting around that.my hope is somebody in prison does the job for state, nost likely a lifer. he has nothing tooo lose. the job will get done much sooner.even if they get the deathsentence, the only problem with this teeny tiny minded state is ther're too slow. so i'm betting on prison. this was one of the worst attacks in the states history.

our hearts all go out to Dr.Petitiand his family.

That's what happened here in Ohio with Mary Jo Pesho's killer...They found him in his cell, he supposedly hung himself. Then his mother who had tried to lie/alibi him in court was murdered not long after... A shame some vigilante criminal had to do what the spouse earned the right to...but we forbid as a society.

Hayes already attempted suicide once...why they saved him is beyond me.

Many people would likely consider me a "liberal". I prefer to believe I think for myself. I believe in a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, in national health care - there is NO excuse for citizens doing without proper health care in this country...and I'm happy to see my taxes go to that! I believe our federal government should begin a new "infrastructure rebuilding" program - our roads, bridges, sewers, etc., are about to fall apart - how about employing some of the unemployed (those who will work) to fix those things? I DO NOT believe in government handouts for able-bodied people who are too lazy to work, for women who purposely have more and more babies in order to get more from Uncle Sam, etc. so if they are physically able to work and refuse to do so - well, too bad - no more money from me or the government.

I could go on and on about lots of topics, but the right to bear arms is in my Constitution and I take it quite seriously. I am a great shot and WILL shoot to kill anyone who invades my home. I believe in the death penalty - IF guilt can be proven beyond a doubt. I live in a large city where the crime lab botched DNA results for several years, thus sending quite a number of people to prison, and some to their deaths wrongly. That is sickening and we must take care to be certain of guilt before executing anyone.

Those things said, my first instinct is to say these men need to be tortured just the way these precious girls and mother were before they are killed, but my heart says that a clean, simple execution is the right thing. These men do not need to be cared for by my tax dollars and they certainly do not need to have any opportunity to get out to do this again. The sooner the better.

The father and husband in this case is such a strong person - he will spend the rest of his life in unimaginable pain thinking of his beloved wife and daughters suffering, yet he continues to go through his days without losing his mind - I'm afraid I would not be so strong. He is certainly in my thoughts and has my heartfelt sympathy.

MondaysChild summed it all up. they kept this mutant alive in order to give him his constitutional right to a fair trial. it doesn't get any fairer than this for this piece of $hit.now it's the other piece of $hits turn.

the cops had them caught dead to right. it's too bad the their guns didn't accidently go off right for the head, for both these $hit heads.i hope they off these two vermin in prison.hell they'd be hero's as far as i'm concerned. Connecticut is a little slow on the uptake, when it comes to executions. the lasxt guy asked for his own death. they kept trying to keep him alive. they finally granted his wish.

Believe me when I say that even Liberals wants these bastards DEAD. I hope they both get DEATH because I'm sick and tired of paying to keep filth alive. They deserve NOTHING but DEATH!

IMO the father and husband should be given the honor to kill both of them!

MondaysChild - you don't sound like a liberal to me. You sound like a rational, clear-thinking individual who makes up his (her?) own mind. I'm completely in agreement with your thoughts on the death penalty. If there's no question of guilt, fry em.

P.S. - Hillary hates you.

Mondays Child... It was good to read your post.

That would be too humane. I say tie them to their beds like he did to the woman and her daughters and let the husband and father of the family do with them what he wants and how he wants and for how long he wants. I'm sure he has a lot of pent up rage he'd like to let loose.