Doc: Cheshire Home Invasion Defendant Expressed Guilt
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -A Connecticut man convicted of a deadly home invasion said he felt guilty and remorseful and wished he could die as a result of the crime, a psychologist testified Wednesday.
Dr. Mark Cunningham testified in the trial of Steven Hayes, who faces a possible death penalty after being convicted of killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters at their Cheshire home in July 2007. A New Haven jury is hearing evidence before deciding punishment.
Cunningham said Hayes told him he has "lost all feelings'' and is "completely numb.'' Hayes has attempted suicide in prison, and Cunningham said Hayes told him he still thinks of it but has no plans to kill himself, saying "just let the state do it.''
Hayes also expressed concerns about spending the rest of his life in prison, said he hates the publicity from the case and does not want to put the relatives of his victims through it, Cunningham said. Hayes complained that some prison staff harassed him by saying he was going to die, turning a radio louder and making announcements at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. to disturb his sleep, Cunningham said.
A parole officer, John Viscomi, testified Wednesday that Hayes missed two required appointments for substance-abuse evaluations a month before the crime, but he didn't send him back to prison. Viscomi said he believed Hayes, a paroled burglar, was attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous during the same period.
A defense attorney asked if there was anything that would lead him to believe Hayes could commit the violent home invasion. Viscomi replied softly, "None.''
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
