Lawmakers To Hear Testimony On Suicide Bill

A legislative committee is expected to hear divergent opinions about a bill that would allow a physician to prescribe medication to a dying patient who wants to end their own life. The socially conservative Family Institute of Connecticut and Second Thoughts Connecticut, a grassroots organization representing people with disabilities, is opposing the bill. The group says lawmakers should instead consider increased access to hospice care, adequate staffing in nursing homes and required training in pain management. But advocates say the bill is a humane way to give dying and suffering patients a choice. The General Assembly's Public Health Committee will hear testimony on the proposal during a public hearing today. Advocates say it's the first time such legislation has been brought to a public hearing in Connecticut.

Torrington Students Accused Of Sexual Assault

Two members of the Torrington High School football team have been charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl who has been taunted on social media sites in recent weeks by dozens of classmates upset at the allegations. The Register Citizen reports the two 18-year-old football players, Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio, have been charged with felony second-degree sexual assault and other crimes in a police investigation that began last month. Both have pleaded not guilty. Details of the allegations have been sealed from public view. Gonzalez also has a pending robbery case from last year, but was allowed to play this past football season. The newspaper reports social media posts by classmates taunting the victim have included vulgar language and have blamed her for "ruining" the football players' lives.

Newtown Man Gets 20 Years In Prison For Child Porn

A Newtown man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography at his home and sexually abusing three girls under 12, including one who was 18 months old. Thirty-six-year-old David Csanadi was sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Haven. He pleaded guilty in November to one count of producing child pornography. Federal prosecutors say Csanadi abused the three girls in 2006 and 2007 and recorded the assaults on video. Officials say he also downloaded child porn from the Internet onto his home computer. The Connecticut Post reports that federal prosecutor Neeraj Patel called Csanadi a "monster" during the sentencing hearing. Csanadi also has pleaded guilty to state sexual assault and child pornography charges and is set to be sentenced next month.