Buffalo Common Council Members urge New York State Legislature amend bail reform law

Two Buffalo Common Council members are asking the state legislature to amend the bail reform law.

ENDANGERING THEWELFARE OF A CHILD.TWO BUFFALOLAWMAKERS ARESPEARHEADING AGRASSROOTSEFFORT... URGING THESTATE LEGISLATURETO AMEND CRIMINALJUSTICE REFORMLAWS.THOSE LAWS WENINTO EFFECT ON NEWYEAR'S DAY.SEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERTAYLOR EPPS HASMORE ON WHAT'SBEHIND THIS LATESTMOVE.ACROSS THE STATE,THE NEW BAILREFORM LAWCHANGED THE WAYTHINGS ARE DONE INTHE COURTS..THERE'S NOW NOCASH BAIL FOR THOSECHARGED WITHMISDEMEANORS ANDNON-VIOLENTCRIMES..SUSPECTSGO FREE UNTIL THEIRCOURT APPEARANCE.MANY LOCAL LAWENFORCEMENTMEMBERS ANDLAWMAKERS ARECONCERNED..SCANLON "I THINKTHERE'S A LARGESEGMENT OF THEPOPULATION OUTTHERE THAT AREUPSET WITH IT."BUFFALO COUNCILMEMBERS CHRISSCANLON AND JOELFEROLETO SAY ANUMBER OF PEOPLEIN THEIR DISTRICTSARE NOW WORRIEDABOUT THEIR SAFETY.FEROLETO "WHENPEOPLE SEE NEWSSTORIES ABOUTPEOPLE DRIVINGWITHOUT A DRIVERSLICENSE, STRIKINGSOMEONE AND KILLINGTHEM AND THATPERSON WALKING THENEXT DAY WITHOUTEVEN THE POSSIBILIOF BAIL IS VERYCONCERNING TO A LOTOF PEOPLE."HE'S REFERRING TO AHIT AND RUN CASEDOWNSTATE INROCKLAND COUNTYINVOLVING THIS MAN.ACCORDING TOPOLICE, JORGEFLORES-VILLALBA WASRELEASED WITHOUTBAIL AFTER STRIKINGAND KILLING APEDESTRIAN WITH HISCAR.FEROLETO "THAT'S THEMOST ALARMING THINGTHAT I HOPE THELEGISLATUREADDRESSES VERYVERY SOON."THE COUNCILMEMBERS LAUNCHEDAN ONLINE PETITIONAGAINST THE NEWBAIL REFORM LAWSON SUNDAY..THEY WANT THE STATETO MAKE AT LEASTTWO CHANGES TO THENEW LAW.FEROLETO "A JUDGE TOHAVE THE ABILITY TOSET BAIL IF SOMEONEDIES AS A RESULT OF ACRIME AND FOR HACRIMES."IN A STATEMENT SENTTO 7EWN, SENIORADVISOR TO THEGOVERNOR RICHAZZOPARDIREPONDED SAYINGTHE SYSTEM'SREFORMS ARE AWORK IN PROGRESSWHICH WILL BEDISCUSSED NEXTSESSION IN ALBANY.HERE IN BUFFALO...FEROLETO "SO THENEXT STEP IS THECOUNCIL IS GOING TOVOTE ON THISRESOLUTION ASKINGTHE NYS LEGISLATURETO MAKE CHANGES."THE COUNCIL WILLVOTE ON THE ISSUEON TUESDAY THISWEEK.BUT AT THE END OFTHE DAY, IT'S UP TOTHE STATELEGISLATURE TO MAKEANY CHANGES.IN BUFFALO, TA