Republican state senate candidate Henri Martin said in a campaign press release this week Gov. Dannel Malloy should repeal his controversial program that allowed accused child murderer Arthur Hapgood to get out of prison early late last year.
The release from Martin’s campaign explained Hapgood, a convicted armed robber, was released early from prison in November 2013 because he “earned” 233 days of Malloy’s so-called “Risk Reduction Credits.” Hapbood stabbed to death his one-year-old niece, Zaniyah Calloway, in front of another child on Aug. 25 on Park Street in Bristol while babysitting.
“Arthur Hapgood, accused of an unfathomable and brutal murder, is a prime example of why the risk reduction credit program is a complete and total failure,” said Martin, who is vying to represent the 31st senatorial district covering Bristol, Plainville, Plymouth, Harwinton and Thomaston against Democrat Rob Michalik. In his press release, Martin said, “The governor should suspend this program immediately, and when I’m elected I’ll propose to eliminate it my first day on the job.”
Hapgood, charged with murder with special circumstances, was arraigned Wednesday in New Britain Superior Court. He is being held at Bridgeport Correctional Facility.
Hapgood, was originally arrested for armed robbery, however he did not enter prison until 2008 when a sale of narcotics charge violated his probation, the release from Martin explained. With the passage of Malloy’s early release bill in 2011 Hapgood received retroactive credits that amounted to 233 days off of a 71-month sentence.