Komisarjevsky formally sentenced to death

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - Dr. William Petit no longer has to make the difficult journey to room 6A and the New Haven Courthouse and stare at the man responsible for his family's death.

"We're happy and relieved this day has come," said his father, William Petit Sr. "Justice has been served, we can not hopefully get on with our lives."

A packed house first listened to pre-recorded victim impact statements from the parents and sister of Jennifer Hawke-Petit, who could not make the trip to Connecticut.

"They died because of a home invasion you planned and executed," said Reverend Richard Hawke, Jennifer Hawke-Petit's father. "You molested, humiliated, raped, beat, and burned their bodies beyond recognition."

"How could you invade a home that was their safe haven, a place of love and happiness for their family?  They were precious to us, and you molested and raped them," said Marybell Hawke, Hawke-Petit's mother. "You desecrated their home, and burned it, and their bodies."

Dr. Petit was last, reading from a nine page statement.   

"I lost my entire family. Thus I lost my past and what was to be my future. July 23, 2007 was our personal Holocaust. A Holocaust caused by two who are completely evil and actually do not comprehend what they have done," he said.

"He's starting to come back a little bit now to what he was, he never will go all the way back," said Petit Sr., concerning his son's mental state.

After that, the Petit's left the courtroom, not wanting to hear what Komisarjevsky had to say.

In an orange prison jumpsuit, ankles handcuffed, Komisarjevsky stood up, his voice emotionless as he read his statement. He was contrite while at the same time defiant.

"I did not rape, not that it excuses what I did do," Komisarjevsky said. "I wasn't the one to strangle Mrs. Petit. I did not pour that gas or light that fire, leading to the girl's subsequent deaths."

With that, Judge Jon Blue took control, telling Komisarjevsky that this is a horrible sentence, but one he wrote for himself. Komisarjevsky was sentenced to death in all six capital felony counts.

Judge Blue ruled that his date of execution will be July 20, 2012. The appeal process will now go into effect.

Blue then looked at the stone-faced convicted murderer and uttered one last phrase, "May God have mercy on your soul."

"I do really feel about Josh that he is my nephew. And the state is trying to put my nephew to death. Listening to a sentence of death is a sobering experience," said Komisarjevsky's defense attorney Jeremiah Donovan.

"This is beyond anybody's understanding,anybody's comprehension that there would be a crime of this nature," said Komisarjevsky's uncle, Chris. "We are so sorry to the Petit and Hawke families."

His accomplice, Steven Hayes, was convicted a year earlier and is already on death row.

The last person to be executed in Connecticut was Michael Ross, who was put to death May 13, 2005.