‘Bail reform, it’s lit!’

[Derec]

‘Bail reform, it’s lit!’ NYC transit recividist brags he can’t be stopped after his latest arrest for turnstile jumping, skipping court dates

He knew that except for having to spend about 36 hours in police custody, there were no immediate consequences to his alleged crimes, which include charges he snatched cash from people trying to use MetroCard machines.

“I’m famous! I take $200, $300 a day of your money, cracker! You can’t stop me!” Barry yelled to a Daily News reporter late Thursday night as police led him out of NYPD Transit District 1 headquarters in the Columbus Circle station. “Bail reform, it’s lit!” Barry said. “It’s the Democrats! The Democrats know me and the Republicans fear me. You can’t touch me! I can’t be stopped!”
[...]
Officers who’ve gotten to know Barry over the years were looking for him that day because two warrants had been issued for his arrest after he missed court dates.

One court hearing Barry skipped is related to a Jan. 19 incident in which he was given a desk appearance ticket for allegedly stealing $50 out of woman’s hand inside the subway station at W. 42nd St. and Sixth Ave. near Bryant Park. The other hearing he missed was related to a theft in December.

They can't even hold him when he deliberately misses court dates. Those idiots in Albany really screwed this up.

The Legal Aid Society said the NYPD is using a few cases to stoke fears after six weeks that bail and other reforms are a failure. It also said that despite what police say, “pre-trial incarceration actually erodes public safety and perpetuates recidivism.”

Yeah, it looks like it's exactly the opposite!

The law prevents courts from holding suspects on a wide array of crimes (including violent ones like robbery, arson etc. as long as they are charged as misdemeanors) even when they do not show up for court or keep reoffending, both of which this guy did. The only way he is special or unusual, it seems, is his brazen braggadocio over it.

Another article about the issue:
The controversy over New York’s bail reform law, explained

Outlets like the New York Post latched onto cases like that of Tiffany Harris, who was arrested three times for assaulting Orthodox Jewish women in Brooklyn in less than a week: “Harris walked free under the state’s new soft-on-crime law,” the Post wrote. On January 10, the New York Daily News ran a cover story of a homeless man who had been charged with assault being released without bail. Staten Island Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis told Tucker Carlson on Fox News that if the law doesn’t get modified, “There’s going to be blood on Governor Cuomo’s hands.”

I.e. violent criminals are being released without bail. Or any possibility for judicial discretion.

But much of the coverage has obscured or downplayed one crucial point: that since 1971, public safety — the idea of the “potential dangerousness” of someone accused of a crime — has not been a legal reason to set bail for a defendant in New York.

Well, shit, perhaps Albany ought to rectify it then. Not screw it up even more.

In a country overwhelmed by mass incarceration, where about 67 percent of those in county jails are there pretrial, a system where the amount of money you have on hand dictates your freedom seems antiquated at best and unconstitutional at worst.

I do not think anybody would object to a sensible alternative to bail. This ain't it. The thing is that cash (that is forfeit if bail conditions are violated) is a strong motivator. Releasing suspects with no conditions is not.

People of color are disproportionately represented in New York’s prisons and jails: More than half of those incarcerated are black, although black people represent just 16 percent of the state’s population.

This idea that arrests and incarcerations should mirror overall demographics is just stupid as it ignores that crime is not uniformly distributed in the population. So why should arrests and incarcerations be?

But Flynn, who is vice president of the state and national district attorney associations, said the new law goes too far. “My attorneys are no longer able to argue, to point out to a judge, ‘Hey Judge, there’s a good reason to why you should put bail,’” Flynn said. “And the judges, who are elected by the people here in New York State, they now have no discretion at all.”

Bingo.

 

[Derec]

It seems that the bail deform is already inreasing crime rates:
Spike in Crime Inflames Debate Over Bail Law in New York

Even notoriously left-wing mayor of NYC de Blasio has come out calling for changes to the law:
Bail reform puts de Blasio at odds with progressives

The article mentions so-called "public advocate" Jumaane Williams. His name also came up in the case where ICE agents shot a man who attacked them over an arrest. He is more of an advocate for thugs and illegal aliens then for the public at large!

 

[Angry Floof]

Ah, a poor, black version of Donald Trump.

 

[steve_bank]

Here in Seattle bail appears to be uncommon except for very serious crimes. More common to be released without bail.

Case in point the three men involved in the recent downtown shooting and killing. Multiple felonies but little or no jail time.

Release on personal promise followed by supposed counseling and intervention. They promise from this day forward to be good.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Duh!

They're doing it wrong.

Everyone should get an own-recognizance release over any minor offenses until they have demonstrated they won't show up. Blow off a court date or the like and the next time they hold you.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

There should be bail reform: there is no reason to allow rich people to be free pre-trial but force poor people into jail pre-trial. However, the specific policies and tweaks to it are up for reasonable debate.

 

[Jarhyn]

There should be bail reform: there is no reason to allow rich people to be free pre-trial but force poor people into jail pre-trial. However, the specific policies and tweaks to it are up for reasonable debate.

Yeah, personally I would much rather release for any offense involving organized, financial, or violent criminal activity. Let white collar criminals stew right along with the violent and the gang members.

 

[Gun Nut]

There should be bail reform: there is no reason to allow rich people to be free pre-trial but force poor people into jail pre-trial. However, the specific policies and tweaks to it are up for reasonable debate.

People are innocent until proven guilty... detaining a person for more than 24 hours without a proper trial is a violation of their rights... I never understood how we are able to put people in jail before their trial, much less selectively release them... but...
People with money that steal more money from people with less money have ties... mortgages on property and bank accounts. these people have capital that can provide assurance they will appear in court for their trial. That is what bail is for... don;t want to go to jail and be a fugitive for the rest of your life - ok, but we keep your house and all your stuff.
The homeless mentally ill guy that stabbed someone with a 10 inch knife has no ties and can just up and disappear at will. They have nothing to lose.
That's the theory, at least.

 

[TSwizzle]

People are innocent until proven guilty... detaining a person for more than 24 hours without a proper trial is a violation of their rights... I never understood how we are able to put people in jail before their trial, much less selectively release them...

That's a rather quaint and old fashioned view of things. But I think the full sentence goes something like "People are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law". But sometimes, it is known when a person is guilty of a crime before trial.

 

[PyramidHead]

Absolute hero

 

[Derec]

Ah, a poor, black version of Donald Trump.

Who says he is poor? He is making bank stealing from NYC straphangers.

By the way, this is hardly just a black issue.

New York man arrested 3 times in 1 day; police say bail-reform law to blame

New York state is becoming a laughingstock!

 

[Derec]

Absolute hero

Why? You support stealing from subway riders? Seriously?

 

[Angry Floof]

Ah, a poor, black version of Donald Trump.

Who says he is poor? He is making bank stealing from NYC straphangers.

By the way, this is hardly just a black issue.

New York man arrested 3 times in 1 day; police say bail-reform law to blame

New York state is becoming a laughingstock!

Yeah, exactly. He's Trump dressed up as a black man, poor or not.

 

[Derec]

Yeah, exactly. He's Trump dressed up as a black man, poor or not.

This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with Trump. It's about a well-intentioned, but horribly written state law. Your TDS is showing. Do you have anything to contribute re bail reform?

 

[Derec]

Here in Seattle bail appears to be uncommon except for very serious crimes. More common to be released without bail.
Case in point the three men involved in the recent downtown shooting and killing. Multiple felonies but little or no jail time.
Release on personal promise followed by supposed counseling and intervention. They promise from this day forward to be good.

Insanity!

 

[Derec]

There should be bail reform: there is no reason to allow rich people to be free pre-trial but force poor people into jail pre-trial. However, the specific policies and tweaks to it are up for reasonable debate.

I agree with that. There should be more discretionary power given to judges, so people arrested repeatedly or who do not show up for court do not have to get released. And when bail is appropriate, it could be a sliding scale based on the defendant's resources.

 

[Angry Floof]

Yeah, exactly. He's Trump dressed up as a black man, poor or not.

This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with Trump. It's about a well-intentioned, but horribly written state law. Your TDS is showing. Do you have anything to contribute re bail reform?

It's about a man who thinks he is above the law, but not the one anyone in their right mind should worry about.

 

[PyramidHead]

Everyone should jump turnstiles, or swipe in other passengers if you don't have the athletic ability for that.