I was watching the news just last evening, and the first 20 minutes were all crime stories. Due to the public’s outcry and the City Council’s leverage, District Attorney Jason Williams says he’s changed his stance on going after criminals. However, the data from the Metropolitan Crime Commission suggest his office is ignoring 701 releases. I spoke with Rafael Goyeneche of the Metropolitan Crime Commission about those findings and he says the data speaks for itself.
Given the data your office has compiled, the DA’s office can’t make excuses for it, and has to prosecute and incarcerate offenders.
The public now recognizes that they are the victims of this crime. I think they finally realize that their voices will be heard if they raise their voices loud enough.. They see how some of the policies approved by their elected officials in the executive branch, legislative branch, or the judicial branch all favored the offenders to the detriment of the law-abiding citizens.
The problem is that victims don't have non-governmental organizations that are making money to help them. There are so many NGOs across the country that are receiving federal dollars to help criminals. That’s the disconnect we’re experiencing as a country right now.
Well-funded litigation meant for the offenders makes it tough for local and state criminal justice systems to compete against them.There's been an imbalance created where people are using litigation as a weapon to siphon money away from local criminal justice systems and beat the local law enforcement agencies into submission economically.
The MCC recently issued a report on 701 releases in which it appears the DA’s office isn’t holding up their end of the law. Is that right?
701 releases put a timeline on police and prosecutors to make a prosecutorial decision in a timely manner. At no time have I seen this level of noncompliance with a prosecutor's office that we're experiencing right now. The DA’s office has filed a writ claiming that timeline is in violation of Louisiana law. The DA's office has had 1500 701 releases come their way and allowed those deadlines to pass despite being warned about the impending deadlines… the court, in compliance with Louisiana law, released defenders from their bail obligations when the state failed to meet those deadlines.