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>> The murder rate in Houston
is
eye opening.
>> For the first 3 months of
the year compared to last year.
The number of homicides it up.
>> 37%.
37% 107 of those murdered since
been by people who have been
charged with crimes and let out
on bond.
>> 60 of those
last year. If you think that’s
outrageous, you are not alone
and ECON is the director of
victim services and advocacy.
A crime stoppers
of Houston and has been in
Austin testify in this
legislative session about
getting a law passed to make it
much
more difficult for people to
get out on bond, especially
if they’ve done violent
offenses. Good morning, Andy.
Let’s talk about the bill’s
what bills are you most
concerned about getting past
this morning and what will it
take to get it done.
>> House bill 20 and Senate
bill 21 which I understand the
Senate bill 21 sponsored by our
local, state. Senator
is actually I could actually
come up for a full Senate vote.
By the time your program years
and the same thing with House
bill 20, which I was testifying
at the lonely hour of one
47 am which I guess would be
Wednesday morning considering
we started Tuesday. Yeah.
And 1 o’clock in support of
this is bipartisan support for
a lot of different entities
throughout the state of Texas
what’s it supposed hero
ramifications of honor for me.
As you alluded to is taking its
toll on the citizens of Harris
County. And many of them have
paid the ultimate price for and
asked a lot of loss of
their life. So we applaud and
we fully support governor
Abbott’s propose legislative
strategies to basically deal
with reality of what’s
happening with
Bon reform numbers that the
district attorney’s office
presented to the Senate
Criminal Justice Committee were
absolutely mind blowing and
I’ll just tell you some of them
I staff you know, if I’ll
understand there’s granted PR
bonds
had quadruple since 2018 and
he’s offense is include capital
murder, aggravated sexual.
So AG robbery.
Human trafficking number of
bombs, number of offenders on
multiple boss has absolutely
skyrocketed. Here’s some of
the most troubling details that
I saw was absolutely alarming
and should and should actually
set off Rockets for everybody
in the Harris County. It is.
And it’s released on 2 to 4
bonds charged with new crimes
and almost tripled since
2000, 18 homicides by
defendants released on bond
more than doubled since
2018 defendants released on
5 to 7 by Kate. Think about
that in order to achieve 5 to 7
miles, which means you have
to be released time and time
again in order to get a new
felony charge. They went
from 61.
>> In 2018 to
555 2020 yeah. Houston Harris
County. We do have a problem
and bail reform has led to an
increase in crime rates in
Harris County. We talked about
him to feel your frustration
about people letting get being
let out on bond to go ahead and
commit murder again.
>> As a part of your testimony,
you use
a portion of that. Every port
our KPRC investigates reporter
Robert Arnold did on
this topic talking about judges
who are releasing people out
on bond and said they had no
latitude about that. What
specifically has to be changed
in order to make sure that
judges can release people who
are charged with dangerous
crimes.
>> You know, when we are
on hold, the reporter 230
District Court Judge Chris
Moore, D 5 cases and he’s a
news release the most
defendants on felony PR bonds.
And he finally just said when
is enough is enough, which is
what I’ve been saying and the
judge looked at him and said I
don’t have that prerogative.
I don’t have that luxury
because the Constitution
requires me to keep giving
defend his mind after body.
And I’m sitting there going
there has to be a point in time
where you’ve got to stand in
this coming coming before you
who’s been released on, let’s
say a as a robbery with a
deadly weapon charges. You have
to be able to recognize is this
just isn’t
working out. It’s not in
public. Safety’s best answers
is not an independent sisters
and it’s certainly not in the
people who are being victimized
repeatedly by the Senate is
released on bond. So the bill
so we’re posing will allow
judges more latitude in more
discretion, not to allow repeat
habitual violent offenders
back. Yeah. Bond. There would
actually be a risk assessment
assigned to each case. The
course would be provided with
all documentation or prior
criminal history so they can
make prudent decisions on.
And I think that’s pretty much
all we’re asking about, you
know, crime stoppers will make
super food perfectly clear.
We supported misdemeanor
bhangra for what we don’t also
or is when public safety is
placed at a higher us when the
career of visual vendors are
continuously released back to
the community to reuse and time
and time again. So how
optimistic are you going
through. We’ll deal with that.
How optimistic are you that
this will get done. And even if
you get the best outcome in
Austin. How long do you think
something like this will take
to get into play.
>> Well, yes, we do get any of
the bills passed or any of the
language that we believe it is
imperative imperative to
protect public safety it would
go into effect. Likely in
September. Good deal. Something
has to happen because nothing’s
happening locally for whatever
reason, we’re not we’re just
refused to deal with this issue
and locally that something has
to happen and you want people
to go ahead and contact their
local legislature to go Let
them know that it’s important
to them.
Yeah. You have a voice. You
know, they’re they’re people
often Austin represents year.
You sent in a specially work
for you. Make them work if you
let them know this is a big
concern, right is on the rise.
Astronomically airs candy and
like it or not, a major portion
of their crimes to the
revolving door of the
courthouse. Let them know that
you want these bills to fix our
broken bail system so that you
can feel more safer when Indy
well said. Thank you so much.
Good look
at you.
>> Press forward with these
not only this after but all the