. . . elect radical Democrats (meaning most Democrats), anytime, anywhere: Harris County edition.
Unca D adapted this essay from a piece written by Andy Kahan. Details below. Please don't blame Mr. Kahan for errors or omissions by Unca D, or for Unca D's political prescription to cure the ills in the Harris County criminal justice system diagnosed by Mr. Kahan.
Daniel Musterman was a devoted son and caretaker to his 87-year-old mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Caitlynne Rose was a young mother and was eight months pregnant. Gregory Brooks had a wonderful sense of humor but he prided himself in taking his education seriously and was proud to be one of the first in his family to go to college. Reginald Larry was on his way to his grandmother’s house when he stopped for a drink at a corner store.
What do Daniel, Caitlynne, Gregory and Reginald have in common? All four were murdered, and in each case, the suspect was someone who had . . .
. . . been released back into the community on multiple bonds by Harris County judges within the past year. Sadly, there are many more cases like these.
Crime Stoppers of Houston supports misdemeanor bond reform. We support criminal justice reform. What we oppose is placing Harris County residents at risk by regularly releasing career habitual offenders back into the community, despite their records of violent crimes.
A federal court ruling requires misdemeanor judges not to use cash bail for most misdemeanor charges. Felony judges are not bound by that ruling. They have discretion whether to keep repeat offenders in jail (by revoking their old bonds) or to release them back into the community (by granting a new bond).
That's the problem. We're seeing defendants with multiple bonds being arrested again and again for new felony crimes, then being released from jail on new bonds.
Does this make sense? Ask the families of Daniel, Caitlynne, Gregory and Reginald and many others whose loved ones have been murdered by defendants out on multiple bonds —defendants who thumb their nose at the law.
Data I received six months ago from local law enforcement officials show that more than 4,000 defendants have been granted bonds for violent and sexually related offenses.
This is of grave concern to Crime Stoppers. Here are questions that deserve answers:
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- How many felony defendants are out on repeat multiple bonds and for what types of offenses?
- How many felony defendants are in bond forfeiture and have been declared fugitives?
- How many defendants committed crimes after a motion to revoke the original bond was denied?
- How many defendants have . . . had their bonds revoked after being charged with another crime while out on bond?
- How many of our citizens have become crime victims [at the hands of offenders who have violated the conditions of their] bond?
The defendant charged with capital murder in the slaying of Byron Handy was on felony probation. He had been granted three separate bonds for felony offenses involving the use of a firearm. Even after he was charged with murdering Byron Hardy, however, his bond was not revoked. He was allowed to remain on probation.
The defendant charged with slaying Matthew Franklin was also out on bond for three charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault.
The defendant wanted for the murder of Reginald Larry was released on multiple felony bonds, including murder and two aggravated assault charges. Even though he was on deferred adjudication when charged with this new murder, he was allowed to remain in the community.
The defendant charged with two counts capital murder in the deaths of Kevin Kelly and Sylvernia Edwards was also out on multiple felony bonds.
I could give other examples of citizens paying the ultimate price for criminal justice and bond reform. It is difficult for me, as victim advocate to explain to families why their loved one was killed.
What do I tell the family of an 11-year-old boy who was shot by a defendant already out on multiple bonds for murder, evading arrest and unlawfully carrying a weapon?
How can I explain what is happening to our criminal justice system to grieving families who are grieving who ask why their loved one was murdered?
Public safety is at a higher risk when, again and again, career habitual offenders are released back to the community.
Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing how many offenders fit into this category. Harris County does not keep such vital statistical information.
Everyone who supports criminal justice and bond reform should be demanding the information we need to determine which measures work and which put the public at risk.
All in Harris County should be on the same page. Crime hurts us all. Improving public safety should be a nonpartisan issue.
My mantra as a victim advocate for over twenty-eight years is to seek solutions. It Instead of yelling and screaming about the injustices in our criminal justice system, we should all work together for positive changes.
If we fail to take measures to make our community safer, shame on us. Residents of Harris County deserve better.
Adapted by Unca D from an essay by Andy Kahan, "Ramification of Criminal Justice and Bond Reform," crime-stoppers.org, downloaded August 18, 2020. Mr. Kahan is not responsible for errors and omissions introduced by Unca D. You can see the original essay here: https://crime-stoppers.org/ramifications-of-criminal-justice-and-bond-reform-public.
The only way the public can protect itself, Unca D believes, is by booting from office the Harris County district attorney and criminal judges — all Democrats — responsible for the outrages described in Mr. Kahan's essay.
Day-in, day-out, they deliberately and proudly release multiple felony defendants with low bonds or no bonds. It is a policy supported by radical Democrats all across America. They were elected in stealth campaigns financed by George Soros and other other shadow donors, with more like them just over the political horizon.
Radical leftists already run the criminal justice systems in Houston, Austin, San Francisco, and many other American cities. If Joe Biden is elected president and Democrats take both the U.S. Senate and House, prepare for these local no-bond, low-bond, catch-and-release experiments to be imposed nationwide.
You think the smoking streets of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Portland are bad now? Wait until criminals nationwide learn that Democrats offer them a free pass to loot, burn, rape, and kill without serious legal consequence.
Barbarians are at the gates. Democrats are opening the gates.
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