Assemblyman Crouch Joins Effort to Repeal Bail Reform Law
Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch (R-Bainbridge) joined Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C,I,Ref-Pulaski), law enforcement officials from around the state and members of the Assembly Republican Conference today at a press conference in Albany calling for a full repeal of the bail reform measures passed last year. They were also joined by Sheila Harris, aunt of Rosie Osai who was struck and killed on December 24 by an unlicensed hit-and-run driver who was later released without bail, and Jennifer Payne, mother of Sarah Tombs who was shot and killed in April 2019 by her live-in boyfriend, who was released last week.
“We are calling for a full repeal of the bail changes,” said Crouch. “It is time the governor and state Democrats come to their senses, this legislation needs to be repealed. We can all agree that their needs to be changes to the cash bail system but we cannot remove discretion from our judges, a level of danger assessment needs to be added and we have to re-look at the discovery time, because right now it heavily favors defendants. We are in the midst of a public safety crisis, every day there are reports of criminals that don’t deserve to be back on the streets walking free while awaiting trial. It is only a matter of time before a victim or witness is harmed, and then what? We need to act now.”