New York State’s bail reform law is certainly getting a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons. Over the course of one month, there have been multiple stories of suspected criminals who committed horrible crimes being released with little to no bail.
The newest case of this occurring happened when a man who was suspected of attacking a woman and punching out two of her teeth grinned when he was released from the court without bail. The accused man, Eugene Webb, was then re-arrested shortly after when he allegedly punched and kicked another woman.
“301 inmates were released by the courts under the new law in the month leading up to its enactment…”
Again, he was released and then re-arrested for panhandling and possessing a glass pipe which police said appeared to contain the drug K2. Webb was freed on supervised release after the judge denied the prosecution’s request for a $10,000 bail.
This is just an example of one of many ridiculous cases that are causing many to wonder why such a law was ever passed through the state legislature. In Suffolk County, the sheriff released the photos of some of the individuals who have benefitted from this absurd law.
A local Patch article stated, “301 inmates were released by the courts under the new law in the month leading up to its enactment.” According to the Suffolk County sheriff, Errol Toulon, some individuals who have benefitted from the new law are: Dwayne Ross who was arrested in early December and charged with second-degree strangulation and Fidel Portillo who was arrested and charged with first-degree rape and first-degree course of sexual conduct with a child.
Some crimes included in the bail reform legislation are aggravated vehicular assault; aggravated assault upon a person less than eleven years old; criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds or criminal possession of a firearm; specified felony drug offenses involving the use of children, including the use of a child to commit a controlled substance offense and criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child; promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child; possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child; and promoting a sexual performance by a child.
With a Democratic assembly, state senate, and governor it is alarming that crimes involving violence and children are being treated so lightly. Also, the next time you hear a Democratic New York politician propose a law infringing on the second amendment to stop school shootings, ask them why “criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds or criminal possession of a firearm” was included in the bail reform law in New York.
No matter how they spin it, this law is not protecting anyone.
