A crime watchdog group, the New Orleans District Attorney and WWL Radio Host Newell Normand are among those today crying foul after one of the suspects who allegedly shot a New Orleans police officer yesterday was deemed a low risk to the community.
Police reports show the two suspects allegedly entered the CVS on Prytania armed with guns, wearing gloves and hoods before zip tying employees and robbing the store of drugs and money.
How is he rated on the new five point risk assessment scale?
"This offender is rated a level one," according to the head of the Metro Crime Commission.
MCC Chief Raphael Goyeneche says that is the lowest risk level. He says that make no sense.
"This is a prime example of how flawed an instrument this is."
Goyeneche says if an out of state offender with no local ties tries to kill three cops, holds store workers at gunpoint, ties them up and robs the business is rated the lowest risk... it is clear that the prison reform effort aimed at reducing jail population is flawed.
He says a level one means that if he make bail, Sansbury would not be monitored at all upon his release.
"He doesn't need any supervision," Goyeneche explained. "The only way that they propose to get him back to court is to send a text message to him."
Goyeneche says this is yet another offender charged with serious crimes including armed robbery, rape and murder who is deemed a low level risk.
Former Jefferson Parish Sheriff, turned WWL Radio Host, Newell Normand reacted to the pretrial assessment for Sansbury.
"If they are willing to pop caps at our heroes, what message do we send to all of the other knuckleheads rolling around this city that we are willing to have them at a risk level one?"
Normand says New Orleans needs to get to a point were we are as worried about the victims as we are about the offenders.
"Our point of view at this point in time is demented. What is the message that we are sending to this police officer that's at that hospital that's shot, that this is a risk level one?"
New Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro issued a response too.
“The absurdity of this defendant’s risk assessment speaks volumes about what is wrong with the criminal justice system in the City of New Orleans,” Cannizzaro said. “Here we have a violent offender who attempted to rob a business and two employees at gunpoint, opened fire upon three police officers who responded – striking and injuring one of them – and comes to our city from Indianapolis, which should establish a risk of flight.
The D.A. says, however, that the judge in the case did set a high bond.
Orleans Parish Magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell set Sansbury's bond at $1.15 million.
"I commend Judge Cantrell for disregarding this tool and seeing this defendant for what he is: A dangerous, violent offender willing to shoot our police officers, who has no business freely walking our streets," Cannizzaro said.
Sansbury was booked with armed robbery with a firearm, two counts of false imprisonment with a weapon, and three counts of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer.
The police chief says the injured cop is in stable condition and good spirits after being shot in the shoulder.