THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 11, 1996 TAG: 9601110333
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT AND LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
The news stunned some City Council members: 22 murders in Portsmouth went unsolved in the past two years.
``There's no fear over here on the part of criminals; that really took my breath away,'' said Mayor Gloria O. Webb in an interview Wednesday.
Councilman Cameron C. Pitts said: ``It's shocking and scary to know that we do not have the ability to investigate and prosecute in Portsmouth that we need to.''
The council on Tuesday heard the 1994-95 statistics from Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock - Portsmouth was solving only 40 to 50 percent of its murders at the end of 1994.
But in the past few months, things have improved, Bullock pointed out. In 1995, police solved nearly 80 percent of the city's homicides.
Bullock told the council that he, City Manager Ronald W. Massie and Police Chief Dennis Mook had listed nine crime-fighting initiatives for 1996.
One calls for high bond or no bond for violent criminals. Del. William S. Moore said he will introduce a bill to change the state's bond system to make it more like the federal government's. The federal system makes bond difficult for those arrested for violent acts or for distribution of narcotics.
Bullock said another goal is to issue arrest warrants within 72 hours of a murder and make an arrest within five days. Still another goal is to bring suspects to trial within five months.
``When we don't meet the five-month deadline, we're going to ask ourselves why,'' Bullock said Wednesday. ``Is it because of something my office is doing? . . . There should be some justifiable reason if we don't meet it.''
Bullock said cases involving psychological testing and detailed laboratory reports might extend the trial date beyond five months.
``It's going to take all of us, the courts, law enforcement, my office and even some cooperation from the defense attorneys to make it possible,'' Bullock said. ``I think then we'll be sending a message to our community that we're dealing swiftly with serious crimes.
``Our problem has been that murderers remain on the street without being arrested,'' Bullock said. ``I won't be terribly disappointed if we fall short of our goals because right now, we're nowhere close to that.''
Webb said it seemed like Bullock was overly critical of the police and that he was placing most of the blame with them on Tuesday.
But Councilman James C. Hawks said he was glad to see Bullock and the police chief working together. Hawks, a lawyer, said he thinks Bullock's goals are reasonable.
``They are obtainable if the proper resources are put to them,'' Hawks said. ``There are always cases that are frustrating and I'm sure there will be cases that won't get prosecuted in the target five months. We just have to understand that each case is different.'' MEMO: Staff Writer Angelita Plemmer contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
1996 INITIATIVES
Charge homicide suspects within 72 hours (three days)
Arrest homicide suspects within 120 hours (five days)
Complete homicide trials within five months of arrest
Higher bonds and no bonds
Exclusive homicide unit (pursue initial investigations around the
clock)
Maintain robbery task force
Better use Crimeline, Channel 48 and other media
Continue joint initiatives with federal authorities
Involve City Council and community
KEYWORDS: CRIME PORTSMOUTH STATISTICS by CNB