State Launches Review of Prison Library Books

The state Department of Corrections has launched a review of the books in its prison libraries, a response to a troubling revelation related to the Cheshire home invasion murder case.

Corrections Commissioner Leo C. Arnone told the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee today that he ordered the review last October after learning that one of the defendants, Stephen Hayes, had read numerous novels containing scenes of graphic fictional violence.

Arnone started the review after receiving a request by state Sen. John Kissel (R-Enfield), the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee.

Department of Corrections spokesman Brian Garnett said Arnone told the committee he would have a new policy in place by July 1.

While Arnone testified in Hartford, jury selection resumed in New Haven Superior Court for the trial of the second defendant, Joshua Komisarjevsky, 30.

A fourth year college student studying social work and criminal justice was accepted as the second juror for the trial, which is scheduled to start Sept. 19.

Komisarjevsky faces the death penalty for the murders of a Cheshire mother, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and her two daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, in 2007. Hayes, 47, was convicted in a separate trial in 2010 and is now on death row.

Arnone appeared before the Judiciary Committee to testify on a bill introduced by Kissel to require state officials to follow federal prison guidelines concerning which books are acceptable for prison libraries.

He said he has six correctional facilities in his district, and Arnone is a constituent.

Kissel said he submitted the bill after learning about the books Hayes read while in prison on an unrelated charge prior to the Cheshire murders.

They included mysteries, crime thrillers and a novel about demonic possession with scenes depicting torture and violent crimes, including the strangling of a woman character.

A motion brief filed by Komisarjevsky’s lawyers earlier this month said the DOC found that pages were missing from the copy of that demonic possession novel, "Unholy Fire" by Whitney Strieber, in the prison library of the Gates Correctional Center where Hayes was held.

No public evidence or testimony has indicated that Hayes removed the pages.

According to the Hartford Courant last week, Judge Jon C. Blue mentioned "a library book" during a hearing for the Hayes trial, which he said could be an issue for the trial. Nothing more was said about it, however, and DOC officials cited a gag order when asked about it.

The Courant said other novels Hayes read included "Split Second" by David Baldacci, "Battle Born" by Dale Brown, "Lullaby" by Diane Guest, "Manhattan Nocturne" by Colin Harrison, "The River Sorrow" by Craig Holden, "Mortal Fear" by Greg Iles, "Twisted" by Jonathan Kellerman, "Teek" by Steven Krane, "Dead Air" by Rochelle Krich, "The First Law" by John Lescroart, "Blood Relations" by Barbara Parker, "1st to Die" and "Violets Are Blue" by James Patterson, "Beyond Recognition" by Ridley Pearson, "The Genesis Shield" by Steven Spruill and Steven White's 'Harm's Way.

Kissel said most of the books in prison libraries are donated. They come in boxes and are listed in a database, but no one has reviewed them for content.

He said Arnone told the committee he would establish committees of DOC staff to review the books to make sure they do not depict inappropriate scenes.

"Now that I have the assurance very publicly from the commissioner and can monitor his progress, I don’t need to press the bill," Kissel said.