THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601200277
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Long : 109 lines
Calling Portsmouth one of the nation's most dangerous cities, Del. Billy Moore proposed a legislative package Friday to ``end the reign of terror by murderers, drug lords and violent criminals.''
``Enough is enough,'' Moore said during a press conference at City Hall. ``We're tired of waking up to headlines reminding us our city is in serious trouble. For too long, we have suffered at the hands of these thugs who threaten more than just our safety. They rob us of our self-respect and pride in our community.''
The cornerstone of Moore's legislation is a bill that, if passed, would allow magistrates and judges to deny bond to defendants charged with drug sales or violent crimes.
In addition, the bill introduced Thursday calls for harsher sentences for four crimes: obstruction of justice, use of a firearm, assault on a police officer and eluding police.
The bill also calls for protecting documents from public access, including jail and courthouse building plans and police operational and training manuals or other documents that affect security.
Moore said he was introducing the legislation at the request of Portsmouth officials. Others who made remarks at Friday's press conference were Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock, Police Chief Dennis Mook, Fraternal Order of Police President Robert Simmons Jr. and a representative of the Sheriff's Department. Mayor Gloria O. Webb and several City Council members also were present.
Moore also noted that the community is becoming involved in the battle against crime. A citywide Crime Summit is scheduled today, and citizens have been invited to help come up with solutions.
``Together we will clean up our streets, reclaim our neighborhoods and restore pride in our city,'' Moore said.
In recent years, Portsmouth has been plagued with increasing violence and the inability of law enforcement to curb it. Portsmouth had a record 37 murders last year, and i 1994, police solved only 40 percent of the murders in the city. The clearance rate rose last year.
The city has been criticized for its ``revolving-door'' syndrome, in which defendants are released on bond despite a history of arrests for violent crimes and failure to appear at court hearings. Once back on the streets, police say, defendants use violence and threats of violence to keep witnesses from testifying.
``The hardest part of my job as a homicide investigator,'' said the FOP's Simmons, ``is having to tell a grieving family we can't prosecute their case because witnesses are afraid to testify. We can't continue to open up the door and let these people out.''
Under current law, before a defendant can be released on bond, a judge or magistrate must be convinced he will show up for a hearing and won't pose a threat to the public while he's out. Under this system, the benefit of the doubt goes to the defendant.
Under Moore's proposed law, fashioned after federal law, if a defendant is arrested for certain crimes, it is presumed he is a risk of flight and violence unless a judge is persuaded otherwise. Those crimes include murder, malicious wounding, robbery, sexual assault, selling drugs and being a drug kingpin.
Moore said Friday the bill will face vigorous opposition in the General Assembly and asked those present to lobby for reform.
Moore cited numerous cases reported in news accounts in which current bond laws apparently are not being applied by judges and magistrates in all cases.
``These statistics are alarming,'' Moore said. ``People are let out with a host of failure-to-appears and committing multiple other offenses. Members of the community should find this unacceptable.''
Still, Moore said, he would not criticize judges or magistrates for failing to apply the law. ``I don't want to dwell on the past but on the future,'' Moore said.
In an interview after the press conference, Moore said the statistics provided to him by police caused him ``concern and frustration,'' adding, ``You have to assume judges have been apprised (of a defendant's criminal history).''
In one case, a man on bond for allegedly murdering the mother of his child was re-arrested in the city's biggest drug bust and was again released on bond. He is currently out on bond awaiting trial on a murder charge.
In another case, the accused kingpin in the River Edge Apartments drug market allegedly committed numerous violent acts while out on bond for other crimes. He had been charged with failing to appear for a court hearing. He was ordered held without bond in Portsmouth after being charged with murder and is now being held without bond on orders of a federal judge.
Moore cited additional statistics provided by police showing that, of nine suspects studied who were released on bond:
One had 18 charges of failure to appear.
One had 10 charges of failure to appear with a history of drug possession, felonious assault and murder.
The nine suspects together had a total of 40 charges of failure to appear. MEMO: CRIME SUMMIT
WHERE: Hunt-Mapp Middle School, 3701 Willet Drive, Portsmouth
WHEN: Today from 1 to 6:30 p.m.
ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
Robert Simmons Jr., President of the Fraternal Order of Police
by CNB