Restricted area barbed fence closeup photo in bluish color grading. (welcomia/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Some Democratic leaders have stumbled upon what they believe is a great idea: Given all the problems we’re having with the coronavirus, what society really needs is more criminals runnin’ ’round.
Therefore, in the interest of public health, prisoners are being released early (see here and here).
So how’s it working out? Well, not always so great.
As it turns out — and brace yourself for this — criminals like to commit crimes.
Yes — crimes.
In Oakland, California, such is clearly the case with Rocky Music.
That’s his name.
As noted by The Daily Caller, on Sunday, 32-year-old Rocky and another dude got nabbed by the po-po for allegedly carrying out one carjacking and attempting a second one.
That spree occurred 37 minutes after a another monumental event in Rocky’s life: his release from behind bars.
Mr. Music sang freedom’s song thanks to a COVID-19-based emergency court order prohibiting low-level offenders from being booked into county jails.
Sunday 750a, Rocky Music, arrested in a stolen car by @oaklandpoliceca. Released on court order zero bail at 723p. 37 mins later he walked to Dublin @SFBART and carjacked victim. Then drove to San Ramon and attempted second carjacking. He ran and was caught by @DublinCAPolice K9. pic.twitter.com/VTQcGZprpo
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) April 20, 2020
Therefore, they told him to go do more stuff. I mean, they told him he was being let go.
The Music man’s previous offense: car theft.
How about a few more examples?
On April 17th in San Jose, California, 25-year-old James Mitchell Correa was arrested for an alleged carjacking. Oh, and he also purportedly hit someone in the head with a hammer.
James was placed into the Santa Clara jail, where he’d been only a week earlier — for stealing a car, resisting arrest, and violating parole.
The judge had ordered his release, partly citing the governor’s COVID-19 state of emergency. And because the aforementioned offenses were nonviolent felonies or misdemeanors, as per emergency measures — and as was the case for Rocky Music as well — bail was set to $0.
Now let’s take a treacherous trip down south: In Florida, 26-year-old Joseph Edwards Williams was let loose from jail on March 19th on account of the Wuhan flu. The very next day, he reportedly murdered a man.
Rounding out the quartet is 41-year-old James Little, who was released from Rikers Island March 28th (read about that doozy here). Eleven days later, James allegedly robbed a Big Apple bank.
As relayed by the New York Post, this whole early-release idea ain’t exactly batting 1,000. Of course, when inmates’ terms expire, they must be set free. Therefore, all involved in the program would’ve been unhanded eventually, barring some incident while incarcerated. But to put them out early in the name of public health seems, to me, a bold move.
Furthermore, “We’re not going to jail you or fine you” isn’t exactly a deterrent.
As for NYC’s situation in particular, here’s the Post:
Dozens of inmates freed from city jails over fears they were vulnerable to the coronavirus have wasted no time plaguing the city with new crimes, The Post has learned.
At least 50 of the 1,500 inmates cut loose amid fears of the spread of COVID-19 behind bars in recent weeks have already landed back in jail — and in some cases were set free yet again, according to police sources and records.
The re-offenders — just over 3 percent of those released — include a Rikers Island inmate initially jailed for allegedly setting his girlfriend’s door on fire and choking her mother, who was released early only to return to the Bronx apartment and allegedly threaten to kill the whole family.
Much gratitude to our elected leaders.
-ALEX
See 3 more pieces from me:
A Real Hatchet Job: New York News Anchor Hilariously Makes One of the Worst Mistakes Possible
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