No-Money Bail Policy Grows Criticism | Editorial

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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascn isn’t the only one criticized for his no bail policy.

The state of New Mexico also has a no-money policy which was ushered in by a statewide vote in 2016. It was again criticized by Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, after a California criminal shot and injured four Albuquerque police officers in a shootout. Thursday.

James Ramirez, 27, of Los Angeles, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and battery against a police officer, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a criminal and resistance to escape or the obstructing a policeman. He was also shot and recovered at an Albuquerque hospital, according to an Associated Press report.

The shooting comes as Albuquerque faces a record year of deadly violence and growing frustration among residents and law enforcement, according to the AP report. And his rekindled criticism of the state’s cashless bail system, ushered in by a statewide vote in 2016. Police Chief Harold Medina said in a briefing Thursday that the community had to express this frustration to ensure that policymakers and the criminal justice system begin to effect change. keep the bad guys in jail.

Doesn’t that sound familiar to you? Haven’t we heard our own law enforcement officers in Antelope Valley and other parts of Los Angeles County say the same thing about keeping bad guys in jail? If we needed another example of the shortcomings of this type of policy, we have it here, with this Albuquerque incident. To make matters worse, Ramirez is from Los Angeles County.

Critics keep mounting for Gascn. On Tuesday, the city of Palmdale joined more than two dozen other cities in registering a vote of no confidence in the district attorney. The city council adopted the resolution by 4 votes to 1. Councilmember Juan Carrillo case the only dissenting vote.

The Palmdale resolution cites Gascns policies regarding rejecting deposits for certain types of cases, eliminating the cash bond, and ending sentence enhancements for certain crimes as no reason for the vote of no confidence.

I think it is a breach of the prosecutor’s duty not to prosecute these crimes, said council member Richard Loa.

We agree and believe the Albuquerque Police Chief, the Albuquerque officers who were shot, and anyone else victim of a crime would agree.

If that’s okay with you, sign the petition the next time you go to the grocery store and someone approaches you about it.

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