Senate democrats propose changes to current bail laws

Top Senate Democrats are considering additional changes to bail reform.

THE CONTROVERSIALBAIL REFORM THATWENT INTO EFFECTTHIS YEAR... COULDUNDERGO CHANGES.ON THE SURFACE...THOSE CHANGESWOULD MAKE THELAW EVEN MOREEXTENSIVE.BUT AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY EXPLAINS...THIS MIGHT ACTUALLYGIVE JUDGES MOREDISCRETION."BAIL REFORM"REFORM COMINGFROM TOP MAJORITYLEADERSWEDNESDAY--"WE ARE GETTING RIDOF CASH BAILCOMPLETELY.

SIMPPUT, THE REFORMSWILL ENSURE THAT NOONE WILL BEINCARCERATEDSIMPLY BECAUSE OFTHEIR INABILITY TOPAY," MAJORITYLEADER ANDREASTEWART COUSINSSAID IN A STATEMENT.WE ARE HERE TO TALKABOUT THE ABISMULLFAILURE.BAIL REFORM TOOKCENTER STAGE INALBANY LASTWEEK--JUST WEEKSAFTER IT WENT INTOEFFECT.STEWART-COUSINSAYS IT WAS ONLYAFTER MEETING WITHMULTIPLE GROUPSSHE DECIDED TO TAKEACTION...HER PROPOSALWOULD GIVE JUDGESDISCRETION INCERTAIN INSTANCES,BUT THEY WOULDHAVE TO FOLLOW THESTRICTESTGUIDELINES TOREMAND ADEFENDANT.CUURENTLY ALLSUSPECTS FACINGMISDEMEANORS ANDNON VIOLENT FELONYCHANGES ARERELEASED.RETIRED STATESUPREME COURTJUDGE PENNYWOLFGANG SAYSDISCRETION IS DIRE.WOLFGANG I THINK IT'SOF THE UTMOSTIMPORTANCE THAT THECOURTS HAD THEDISCRETION WHICHTHEY HAD BEFORE.MEANWHILE--ADVOCATES OF THE CURRENTBAIL SYSTEM SAY ITDOESN'T GO FENOUGH...WHICH ISWHY THEY'REDISAPPOINTED TOHEAR THE LAW ISBEING CHANGED..VIA FACETIME:CHRISTIANPARRA/CITIZEN ACTIONCOMMUNITY ORANIZER:IT'S A LOT OFDISRESPECT DUE TOTHE FACT WE PUT IN ALOT OF WORK LASTYEAR TO GET ITPASSED AND NOWTHEY'RE QUESTIONINGIT AND IT'S ONLY BEEN39 DAYS SINCE ITACTUALLY PASSED.ERIE COUNTYDISTRICT ATTORNEYJOHN FLYNN DECLINEDOUR REQUESTS FORAN INTERVIEW UNTILTHE SPECIFICGUIDELINES ARERELEASED.BUT DURING ANINTERVIEW WITH 7EWN LAST WEEK, HESAID -BURGLARY-VEHICULARMANSLAUGHTER AND-CLASS A DRUGFELONIES SHOULD BEADDED TO THE LIST OFCRIMIF YOU'RE FACINGSERIOUS CHARGES,YOU'RE A FLIGHT RISKBECAUSE OF TCONSEQUENCES OFTHE CHARGES.THE DEVIL WILL BE INTHE DETAILS.IT'S UNCLEAR WHENWE COULD LEARNHOW MUCH POWERLAWMAKERS PLAN TOGIVE TO JUDGES INTHEIR COURTROOM.IN BUFFALO, ALITOUHEY, 7EWN