HARTFORD — Federal lawmakers said the brutal murder of a Norwich woman could have been avoided, so to prevent such a tragedy from impacting another family, they are taking action.
A recent report from the federal government reveals the illegal immigrant who killed Casey Chadwick should have been deported.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Joe Courtney are proposing a law that would crack down on countries that refuse or delay U.S. officials' attempts to deport dangerous criminals.
The Connecticut Democrats will unveil "Casey's Law" on Monday in Hartford. It's named after Casey Chadwick, the 25-year-old who was fatally stabbed last year by Haitian national Jean Jacques. Jacques is now serving a 60-year prison sentence.
“I’ve lost people in my life, everybody has, but this you can`t compare it to anything,” her mother Wendy Hartling said. “It's the worst thing you can ever imagine.”
Federal authorities had tried deport Jacques three times, according to a report from the Office of the Inspector General, but Haiti officials wouldn't take him back after he served 17 years behind bars for a 1997 attempted murder conviction.
Jacques killed Chadwick after he was released from prison.
A federal report released last month said immigration officials could have done more to deport Jacques.
“If Jean Jaques had been deported to Haiti, and Haiti had been forced to take him back Casey Chadwick would be alive today,” Blumenthal said. “What's needed is a crackdown, clearer, diplomatic, legal pressure on these countries and that’s what the bill will impose through the state department and the department of homeland security.”
More details of "Casey's Law" haven't been released and will be announced 11 a.m., Monday.
Blumenthal said it will assure the Department of Homeland Security has more tools to put pressure on other countries in taking back convicted criminals.
