A leading jurist is reacting to the decision that prevents District Judge Xander Orenstein from handling arraignments.
Richard King is President of the Allegheny County Magisterial Judge Association.
The police chase suspect Orenstein released on non-monetary bond was already out on $25,000 bond for a gun charge.
Judge King told KDKA Radio's Marty Griffin denying the defendant bail would have been a way to prevent him from committing another crime.
“I don’t know if that decision should’ve been considered or not, but Judge Orenstein and (they’re) decision decided it wasn’t,” said King. “I don’t know how (they) determined that when you look at those rules.”
The rules he's referring to are 10 criteria judges must consider when setting bail.
King also expressed concern about the unnecessary expense to search for the man facing numerous charges.