WFSB Channel 3Emotional statements from victim's family during sentencing

Emotional statements from victim's family during sentencing

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Channel 3 reporter Robert Goulston covered the formal sentencing of Joshua Komisarjevsky. Here are his tweets from inside the courtroom.

Cheshire Sentencing: Statements expected from lone survivor, his sister and father, the killer, killer's attorney and some taped statements.

The Petit family says they are really looking forward to having this day behind us.

Cheshire Sentencing: Some members of the media can not get in because it is so packed.

At Cheshire sentencing: lead detective on the case, state police fire inspector

Jurors who recommended life sentence are here now.

Four of the jurors including the foreman are here. "want to see it through."

CNN, Today Show, Fox News, People magazine and of course Channel 3 Eyewitness News just some of the media covering sentencing.

Lead defense attorney talking to juror members who sentenced his client to death.

Dr Petit sits in front row, by his sister and father. All three will give statements about what this crime.

Joshua Komisarjevsky enters courtroom. Orange jump suit. The jurors who sentenced him to death are feet from him

Judge says sentencing someone to death is most sobering and simmering task.

DVD's now being played. First, Rev Richard Hawke, father and grandfather of victims.

Rev Hawke: apologizes to killer their family could not be there. Komisarjevsky looks up and watches recording.

Rev Hawke says he's been to countless funerals but never a triple. Had to bury his daughter and two grandchildren.

Rev Hawke: You molested, raped and burned their bodies beyond recognition. Why? Was it lust?

Rev Hawke: we will never know the joy of their visits again because of what you did.

Rev Hawke: we will never move our grandchildren's fishing poles from their spots, the rope swings they played on are still there.

Rev Hawke: I have met members of your extended family. They are proud of the name. You have destroyed them too.

Rev Hawke: you are now in God's hands

Marybelle, Jennifer's mother, now on recording.

Marybelle: How could you invade a home that was their safe haven.

Marybelle:What you did has effected our physical and mental health.

Jennifer's younger sister now talking.

Three marshals stand by killer as he looks up at large screen with victims' family members explaining their hurt.

Cynthia: that call in July of 2007 turned my life upside down. Were the kids dead?

Cynthia: I called my sister and got her voicemail.

Cynthia: my 19 year-old son has never once talked about the crime.

Cynthia: we know what the defendant did but we will never know truly why

Cynthia: he is a manipulator, predator and pure evil.

Dr Petit's father now stands and approaches judge to read his statement

Killer lands back in chair and looks over to table where his victims' family is trying to explain how this crime destroyed them

Petit Sr breaks down as he approaches his son's home as seeing all the fire ad police

Complete silence while Petit Sr tries to compose himself.

Petit's voice so strong even while breaking down. The hurt is overwhelming

Petit Sr had to hear the news first hand. The girls are gone, Jennifer is gone.

A juror rubs her eyes with tissue. Sniffling throughout courtroom can be heard. Petit Sr now going through the happy memories.

Petit Sr: my son puts on a great face and works hard but he is hurting so badly.

Petit Sr: their last hours were unbearable.

Johanna Chapman, Petit's sister, now begins to read. Johanna had to identify the bodies after the murders

Johanna reading last letter from Jennifer: thank you for being my other sister. Love you...

Johanna: my daughter would ask, do you think they suffered?

Johanna: the defense has made this process harder. They say we influenced the jury, we were a posse

Johanna: how dare you say my brother was passive trying to save his family. You beat him with a baseball bar over and over.

Johanna: those girls had to smell the gasoline on them, hear their mother be raped

Johanna: he didn't just go to the house to get some cash. He preyed on Michaela.

Johanna: she was an 11-year-old girl. Breaks down but keeps going. Thanks Judge for opportunity to talk

Dr William Petit now speaks

Petit: I lost my family and my home.

Petit: our lively family gatherings are now always quiet and subdued. We don't know what to do

Petit: this second trial has been even harder because we have been vilified by the defense

Petit talks about his wife's accomplishments. He is clearly so proud of her.

Petit's daughter Hayley was always ao sweet and gentle. He and his daughter were huge Uconn Basketball fans.

Killer watches Petit read and turns up to pictures being shown of the people he killed

Montage of pictures of Petit family being shown. Pictures that should be in a family album not in a courtroom for a death sentence.
 
Dr Petit's statement so far only involves his wife and daughter's accomplishments. No mention of the killer. They still live on with him.

Petit talks about their smiles. Why they were so special.

Petit: Michaela loved to sing. But hated homework

Petit: Michaela was the cook in the family. Loved the Food Network

Petit: I miss her running to the door saying Dadda home

Petit: will never get to see the twinkle in my daughter's eye when she makes me breakfast

Petit: he burned them alive because they considered them evidence

Petit: I miss them dearly and will always cherish their memories

Defense asks for 5 minute recess before they make statements.

The Petits are not staying for defense statements or statement from killer

Cheshire killer's attorney making statement to court. Lone survivor and family are all gone. Two rows of empty seats

Petit family walked out of courthouse passing by cameras. Killer has not been sentenced to death yet.

Defense mostly talking about why death penalty is not a just sentence

Killer is going to read something he wrote shortly. His attorney is still talking

The victim advocate who usually sits by Petit's is sitting by empty row. Petit's did stay throughout Hayes sentencing

Defense: regardless of what he did, he's a human being.

Defense: I met him the first day I met him. He is deeply flawed. But he is a human.

Komisarjevsky himself is now talking. Taking cuffs off him.

Komisarjevsky: Came into this trial angry and hostile

Komisarjevsky: I have carved the emotion of what I did deep into my heart.

Komisarjevsky acknowledges that victims made it clear they don't want to hear what I have to say.

I have poisoned my own life.

I was honest in my confession

Komisarjevsky blames abuse and drugs for leading him down this road

Komisarjevsky blames abuse and drugs for leading him down this road

Now more than ever I accept responsibility. I did not want anyone to die that morning.

Komisarjevsky finishes and sits.

Some of the petit family returns. Petit Sr. Not Dr Petit

Judge begins sentencing Joshua Komisarjevsky to death. His attorneys stand by his side.

Judge sentences Komisarjevsky to death on 6 of the 17 charges. All the charges that carry death penalty.

No outbursts. Some of the Petit family sits while Judge goes through sentence. Killer stands looking at judge.

Judge: this is a horrible sentence but it is a sentence you wrote for yourself.

Judge: may God have mercy on your soul.