If you don’t think elections matter, you really aren’t paying attention to new Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her attempts to turn Harris County into a sanctuary for criminals. After Republican judges and officeholders were swept out of office last year, the incoming Democrats want to make Harris County the model for coddling criminals. Seriously.
A proposed settlement in the landmark Harris County bail lawsuit would significantly change how the county treats poor defendants in misdemeanor cases by providing free social and transportation services and relaxing penalties for missed court dates.
The draft deal includes a number of reforms aimed at ensuring poor defendants arrive for court hearings and are not unfairly pressured into guilty pleas. They would, among other changes: require Harris County to provide free child care at courthouses, develop a two-way communication system between courts and defendants, give cell phones to poor defendants and pay for public transit or ride share services for defendants without access to transportation to court.
(click here to read the article on HoustonChronicle.com. If you are blocked from there, you can read 90% of it over at blockquotekuff.com)
Free childcare, free cell phones, free Uber rides. Aren’t criminals special? Well, to the Democrats that run the county, I guess they are. Elsewhere in the article, we learn that judges will no longer have power to set court dates without the criminals consent. Special.
But, we might be better off than those good citizens of Dallas County. Their newly elected District Attorney isn’t going to prosecute theft under $750 if the criminal says he needs it.
Creuzot says he’ll decline to prosecute theft of personal items worth less than $750 unless the theft was for financial gain. He says he’s in the process of dismissing all misdemeanor marijuana cases filed before he took office with a few exceptions including those where a deadly weapon was used. And he’ll stop prosecuting most first-time marijuana offenses and some misdemeanors that he believes often stem from poverty.
To which Gov. Greg Abbott responded:
I like that first reply because that is exactly what will happen. And then the media will blame Republicans for creating food deserts in poor areas.
The world has gone mad. At least in areas controlled by Democrats.
Relax David, this is the era of AOC, Ilhan Omar, Beto O’Rourke and their ilk. Just watch as minor crimes surge in Dallas as that city goes to pot. Will Houston be next.
Don’t, blame the Harris County Democratic judges for getting us in this mess. It was the bail setting of the county’s Republican judges that prompted the bail lawsuit.
FYI Harris county already doing a class and dismiss of thefts under $750. Plus weed diversion program REGARDLESS of criminal history
Also underfiling of cases, if they are filed at all!! Thank you Kim Ogg!!
We are back to the same malarkey from the late 1980’s where crime was so rampant that Fox-26 started filming “City Under Siege” programs in Houston.
My brother was nearly killed in a car accident, where a DACA or illegal alien ran a red light of FM1960. The little darling was cited by the Sherrif’s Dept with Driving without a license, no insurance, and running the red light that caused major property damage and injuries.
The Sherrif’s office changed the policy, and no one can check on warrants any longer. We don’t know if the person appeared in court, or if there are warrants. My sister-in-law had to pay the deductible to buy a new car that was destroyed by the poor little criminal who likely hasn’t suffered any penalty.
David, take note that if the County didn’t agree to this, and kept fighting in court, the outcome could be much worse, as well as costing taxpayers a fortune in legal fees. The moronic judges, all Republicans, that fought implementing reasonable bail practices take most of the blame for this debacle. Those judges are also responsible for forcing taxpayers to feed, house, and provide medical care to low risk defendants who couldn’t make the excessive bail the old system imposed, in many cases keeping defendants in jail far beyond the average sentence for the crime they were accused of committing.
Keep in mind that the beneficiaries of the settlement aren’t criminals, but are defendants in criminal cases. Until they are convicted, they are presumed to be not guilty.
Ross, first of all THE COUNTY hasn’t agreed to this. Second, those Republican judges won twice in the 5th circuit. So, you have no clue what you are talking about. The 5th circuit wasn’t going to require cell phones and child care. I dare say, neither will Lina and Co, et al. Also, SCOTUS denied certiorari on City of Calhoun thereby upholding the constitutionality of money basis. The morons are judges that refuse to give two cents consideration to holding the accused ( probable cause having been found) even marginally accountable for court appearances. Don’t leave any valuables in your car. Any accused car burglar won’t have to come to court until……well until he/she feels it’s convenient. Same for high risk repeat drunk drivers and on and on and on…..
*money bail
Yeah some people are so poor that they will steal to get extra stuff. If you get a drug conviction, because you are a user, you lose your food stamps. Then you steal to eat. Not a good idea to take people convicted of drug crimes off of food stamps.
But this is a lawsuit. The settlement will set policy for the future.
Also look at the bright side. Give a criminal a cell phone free, then you know his number and can monitor his whereabouts and record his phone calls. Watch the real crooks not touch those phones. People snagged once will realize that they get goodies, but those goodies will watch them.
So folks, lets be mature and intelligent about this whole thing. Remember I with your government and here to help you with free cell phone ( to watch you ).
Heaven help us is we have a major hurricane while she is in office! Ed, we want you back. And leave it to liberal DumocRats — Out buying votes again with free stuff!
** (click here to read the article on HoustonChronicle.com. If you are blocked from there, you can read 90% of it over at blockquotekuff.com) **
Hilarious!