The family of a White Plains woman who police say was stabbed to death by a convicted rapist was joined by lawmakers Thursday to make a plea for tougher laws for convicted sex offenders.

State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and the husband and son of Connie Russo-Carriero were making their plea for a civil confinement law at City Hall in Manhattan. The law would keep most violent sexual predators confined after they have served their prison terms. New state data shows that about 1,000 sex offenders will be released from prison in New York by the end of this year.

Police say Phillip Grant, a convicted sex offender, stabbed Russo-Carriero to death last summer at the Galleria Mall parking garage. Civil confinement would allow defendants like Grant to have a hearing before their futures are decided.

Currently, the state Senate and Assembly have each passed civil commitment legislation, however, they can't seem to agree upon the language of a single law. Klein says he wants to jumpstart the process and make sure a conference committee comes up with a bill and passes it.

Related Information County officials endorse sex-offender civil confinement Convicted rapist charged in murder at Galleria Mall in White Plains