WTNH was set to air a segment tonight featuring a recently unearthed sound bite with the late Hayley Petit – the eldest Petit daughter who was killed during the 2007 Cheshire home invasion. The Connecticut MS society found the video, and when asked by WTNH anchor Darren Kramer for permission to air it, Dr. William Petit gave his approval.
But it was explained in a statement read during WTNH’s 5 pm newscast that Dr. Petit has asked the station to delay the airing until the conclusion of the sentencing phase of convicted killer Joshua Komisarjevsky. We don’t know if a column in the Connecticut Post by MariAn Gail Brown gave Dr. Petit pause but it spells out the dilemma involved with broadcasting the segment:
Broadcasting this interview while jurors grapple with whether there is still enough humanity in this killer makes their hard job even harder. Were I a defense attorney, come Monday morning, the first thing I’d ask Judge Jon Blue to do is poll the jury to determine whether any of them watched the WTNH promo. If they did, I’d expect the defense team might want them kicked off the case.
