Newly elected Judge Angel Harris reduced the bail for Bryan Andry in an earlier case of two armed robbery charges from $245,000 to $100,000, allowing the man who would later become the suspect in the Portia Pollack murder to go free.
Pollack was stabbed in the chest and died after being carjacked Tuesday morning on Dorgenois Street in the Seventh Ward.
Pollack was identified as the suspect from surveillance video wearing an ankle monitor, which he later reportedly cut off, and was taken into custody earlier Friday without incident at the home of his mother.
According to Metropolitan Crime Commission head Raphael Goyaneche: “This is a poster-boy for a violent offender… …in this particular case he had six felony convictions, his most recent was for a violent crime, an act of aggravated burglary for which he received a 15-year term. Now he’s got two armed robbery charges and two felony firearm charges. I don’t understand why this offender’s bail was reduced because of the weight of the evidence against him, his criminal record and the danger he presented to the community that resulted in the tragic and unnecessary loss of life.”
It’s that reduction in bail and a number of other potential miscues Harris reportedly made that not only freed Andry, but also could’ve returned him to jail for violation of bail requirements.
Goyaneche says Andry had two Zoom meetings with Judge Harris where she should’ve inquired whether he had signed up for drug rehab program and whether his ankle monitor was working properly, which were conditions of bail.
“There are no statements or references in the minute entries whether the judge inquired about the ankle monitor, whether it was being monitored. I would ask the judge if she received any notifications from whatever firm was monitoring that device. The purpose of these monitors is not just to ensure the offender comes to court. The purpose of these monitors is to make sure the offender complies with the conditions of release.”
Goyaneche wraps up his comments on the matter saying: “All of this is preventable. First of all he never should have gotten out. And if the judge had, I think done her due diligence, she would not have reduced the bail. If the District Attorney’s Office had objected, at least there would be a record. And the public, the community’s interest would’ve been represented at that hearing.”
All of this prompted WWL Talk Host Newell Normand to opine, “Be careful what you ask for, because you might just get it.”
Listen to Newell Normand's interview with Raphael Goyaneche on the Andry case:
