lighttpd does not properly detach from the calling shell when restarted. ssh to a gentoo box, sudo to root, /etc/init.d/lighttpd restart, exit. the ssh connection does not close. debian fixed this problem: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=355865 by adding "start-stop-daemon --background" when starting lighttpd.
fixed in cvs. thanks for the report!