Zupkus Joins State Lawmakers in Calling for "Early Release" Repeal

State lawmakers recently joined former state Sen Len Suzio, member of the advisory committee for the Office of Victim Advocate, along with victim’s families to call for the repeal of the controversial early release prison program. The Risk Reduction Credit law allows violent felons–including those convicted of rape, manslaughter and kidnapping, or sexual molestation of a child under 13–to earn as many as five days off their sentences each month.

Lawmakers and advocates were in Hartford to support SB 123: AN ACT REPEALING THE RISK REDUCTION CREDIT PROGRAM (RREC), introduced by introduced by Senator Joe Markley, who used a long-forgotten legislative rule to force a hearing on the proposal.

“This program is so dangerous to our public safety that it warrants using every rule in the book to stop it,” said Sen. Markley.

Fabio Ghazal of Meriden, whose father was shot to death by a convict released early from prison under the REEC program said, “My father was murdered in cold blood by a criminal. That man destroyed our life.”

State Reps. Al Adinolfi and Lezlye Zupkus are co-sponsors of the bill to repeal the controversial program.

“There were simply too many questions surrounding this program at the height of the original legislative debate about it—questions that continued after the program was installed, questions that grew louder when a man who earned early release credits was accused in that deadly Meriden shooting,” said Rep. Zupkus, member of the Public Safety Committee. “It’s clear that these credits awarded to violent criminals for little more than good behavior jeopardize the safety of Connecticut residents.”

Among the documented tragedies tied to the Early Release law, one was particularly close to home for the Cheshire-area legislators. The Ghazal case occurred last June in Meriden, at the EZ Mart on Main Street. Abraham Ghazal the 70 year old shop owner was according to police, shot in cold blood by Frank ‘The Razor’ Resto, a beneficiary of the Early Release Program. Despite a long record of violent behavior while behind bars- for armed robbery, Resto had earned 199 days of “good behavior” credits.

“Malloy administration officials today are bragging about how the early release program is working, but the devastation caused by accused murderer and program beneficiary Frankie Resto tells us otherwise,” said Rep. Adinolfi, member of the Judiciary Committee. “Residents of this state expect people convicted of violent crimes such as arson or sexual assault to serve the prison time they’re given. Instead, inmates are getting a pat on the back for being ‘good’ behind bars. I consider early release for violent individuals unacceptable.”

Former State Senator Len Suzio, now a member of the Victim Advocate Advisory Committee opposed the RREC—known as Early Release—since the notion was first slipped into a bill at the end of the 2011 legislative session. Suzio led the battle to repeal Early Release throughout his term; now the Cheshire delegation has continued the fight.