Onondaga Central
Last year hidden in between the pages of the New York budget were several pro-criminal provisions and gifts to career criminals, that Cuomo and Democrats in the State Legislature advocated for. Now, these laws have taken effect at the beginning of 2020 and are having dire consequences to the safety and security of all New Yorkers. These soft on crime measures include handicapping prosecutors and police, giving criminals excessive rights and eliminating cash bail for many criminals and repeat offenders. First, one new law to help criminals and hurt prosecutors and police is now prosecutors and local police must turn over all evidence within 15 days of trial- indictment or arraignment. On the other hand, defense attorneys have more than 30 days to turn their case over to the state. This new law also will cost taxpayers money to enforce. The reason communities will have to pay police officers overtime or hire more police in order to turn over the evidence in the newly required 15 days. For example, the mayor of Freeport Village located on Long Island, with a population of about 50,000 people, estimates this new law will cost taxpayers in Freeport Village $2.7 million and property taxes will have to be raised by 5.7%. Need I remind you, that this causes taxes to go up in already one of the most high-taxed states, not even to make you safer but instead to help criminals. The $2.7 million worth of costs includes $1.56 million for staffing and overtime, $690,000 for village court, $224,000 for additional pensions costs along with payroll workers and $118,000 in contract expenses (NY Post). In addition, accused criminals are now allowed to go to the scene of a crime with their defense lawyers. If your house is robbed, the burglar and his lawyers get to go to your house to collect evidence and take photographs. A rapist is now allowed to go back to the scene of the crime with his lawyers to collect evidence even if it is your house. This also means the judge can order the crime scene to remain unchanged so the defendant can collect evidence. If your house was destroyed by a robber, you may have to leave in that condition until a judge tells you that you can clean or repair the scene. If you do not abide by this you can be charged with criminal contempt of court- which could lead to jail (NY Daily News). So much for Cuomo caring about survivors or victims. Moreover, many existing protections for witnesses are removed. Witnesses to a Grand Jury lose the right for their testimony to remain anonymous unless under rare circumstances. However, no matter what the circumstance is defense lawyers now get the names, contact information of anyone with relevant information or eyewitnesses, even if the prosecution is not going to have them testify. This will lead witnesses to be unwilling to testify because they are in fear of their life, causing criminals to walk free. Under the new law, criminal lawyers are entitled to recordings of all witness interviews. Additionally, prosecutors only have three days before a plea deal expires to reveal all their evidence. This could make it harder for the prosecution to obtain plea deals which allow them to focus on more pressing cases (NY Daily News). Bail Insanity New York has eliminated cash bail for most crimes. All misdemeanors and any felonies no longer require cash bail. This means that criminals will simply be released without having to pay any bail. One obvious problem with this is it gives no incentive for the criminals to return for their trial. Many crimes that this law considers non-violent and allow you to be out without bail are actually quite violent including robberies/burglaries, certain degrees of arson, killing police dogs or horses, reckless assault of a child by a daycare provider, many different assault charges including third-assault as a hate crime (Fox News). Selling drugs near schools and laundering money towards terrorists also do not require bail. In addition, many criminals have continued to commit crimes while out without bail, when they otherwise would have been in jail. Serial bank robber, Gerod Woodberry, was continually freed due to bail reform. From December 30 to January 8. Over this time frame, Woodberry commits six bank robberies and after each robbery, he was freed since the judge cannot require him to post bail. Eventually, it took federal law enforcement agents to step in to arrest and charge Woodberry to keep him in jail and off the streets. Likewise, New York’s bail reform lead to the recent string of anti-Semitic attacks in New York City. Tiffany Harris, the assailant, was arrested for a total of eight anti-Semitic assaults but was released twice after being arrested three times in five days, each release allowing her to assault more Orthodox Jews. It finally took her being held for a psychological evaluation to not be released. Some of these assaults took place in December before the law took effect but Mayor Bill DeBlasio instructed police and judges to start abiding by the law before it went into place (NY Post). Both of these criminals’ reign of terror was enabled by “bail reform”. Right here in DeWitt, a recent bank robbery was committed by Christopher M. Seamans who was released without bail just days earlier for a bank robbery in Colonie, N.Y. This marks Seaman’s fourth bank robbery in only 14 years (Syracuse.com). Similarly, career criminal Anthony Mason, who has been arrested 67 times since 1991, committed two burglaries on the same day after being released earlier in the day. Later he went on to commit burglaries on January 2 and January 3 while still being released due to eliminating cash bail. In fact, even before this new law, New York’s bail laws were too loose and soft-on-crime. The most egregious example of New York being weak with bail was in December, just weeks before the new extreme law took effect. In early December a charity paid the bail of a sex offender, Luis Olivo. The bail was only $2,000 which shows New York’s previous system was too weak on crime since a sex offender could post low bail. A charity called the Bronx Freedom Fund posted the bail. While out on bail Olivo preyed upon an 8-year girl. This may lead many to wonder why this so-called charity enjoys the benefits of nonprofits (NY Post). Unfortunately, Cuomo’s weak on crime policies already have begun to take its toll on New York and we have seen an uptick in crime. According to the NY Police Department Stats, the number of shooting victims in New York City is up 31% and robberies up 29% since January 1. Overall, based on CompStat, a crime detection system initiated by former Mayor Rudy Guliani, there has been a 22% hike incidents in the new year and a 31% increase in the number of victims. Crime in Central Part is up 31%. Overall crime is on track to return to the levels of the 1980s, Pre-Mayor Rudy Guliani (R) who drastically reduced rime while mayor (NY Post). Sources: What to Know about Sweeping Criminal Justice Reforms Kicking in Come January.” www.google.com/amp/s/www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-criminal-justice-reform-20190928-jdxqnmjn4rcvdcnxmhj3sqwgvy-story.html?outputType=amp. “NY Officials: Stingy Cuomo Making Criminal Justice Reform Too Costly.” www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/12/18/ny-officials-stingy-cuomo-making-criminal-justice-reform-too-costly/amp/. Bruce, Tammy. “Tammy Bruce: Legislating Failure and Chaos with Bail Reform in New York.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 18 Jan. 2020, www.foxnews.com/opinion/bail-reform-new-york-tammy-bruce. “DeWitt Man Charged with 4th Bank Robbery Released without Bail. www.google.com/amp/s/www.syracuse.com/crime/2019/12/dewitt-man-charged-with-4th-bank-robbery-released-without-bail.html?outputType=amp. “'Brick Man' Is NYC's Newest Bail-Reform Poster Boy.” www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/01/17/brick-man-is-nycs-newest-bail-reform-poster-boy/amp/. “Bail Reform Is Setting Suspects Free after String of Anti-Semitic Attacks., www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/12/28/suspects-released-without-bail-after-shocking-attacks-on-jews/amp/. Moore, Tina, et al. “Serial Bank Robber Suspected in Yet Another Manhattan Heist.” New York Post, New York Post, 15 Jan. 2020, nypost.com/2020/01/14/serial-bank-robber-suspected-in-yet-another-manhattan-heist-cops/. “Alleged Child Molester 'Strikes Again' after Charity Bails Him Out.” Google, Google, www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2019/12/04/alleged-child-molester-strikes-again-after-charity-bails-him-out/amp/.
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