New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino and Governor Chris Christie Have Blood on Their Han

New York, NY: Michelle Esquenazi, President of the New York State Bail Bondsman Association says that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Attorney General Christopher Porrino have blood on their hands because of New Jersey's newly implemented Criminal Justice Reform Act.

Said Esquenazi, "Bail Bondsman across the country have been trying to warn lawmakers that their rush toward replacing bail with Pre-Trial Services, whose employees use an algorithm to determine whether or not a defendant poses a danger to the community , would result in more crime and more victims. Unfortunately, our point has been proven over and again - most recently with the murder of DaJour Riley after he was ROR'ed on illegal gun charges which the algorithm didn't believe was a violent offense .

"Since January, the New Jersey Criminal Justice Reform Act is responsible for allowing child molesters, drug dealers, suspected murderers and burglars free to roam the streets without supervision. In one case, defendant Dawood Ward was released and rearrested a dozen times on separate burglary charges he allegedly committed while allowed to go free without supervision. While everyone is busy talking about defendant's rights, no one is worried about the victims who suffer at the hands of these defendants."

Last week, Attorney General Christopher Porrino sent a letter to Judge Glenn Grant who heads the Administrative Office of the Courts, asking him to “consider making certain modifications” in how the new bail reform system assesses and determines risk because the ways it’s done now “undervalues the danger posed by defendants.”

Esquenazi continued, "I am happy that Mr. Porrino has finally recognized that the system, as it is designed now, is not working. Unfortunately it is too late for DaJour Riley and the victims of Dawood Ward. The victims and the New Jersey taxpayers are the real losers here. Not only do they get to foot the bill for Police officers having to chase down defendants over and again - a job that was once done by bail bondsman - but they also get the opportunity to be a target for defendants who are clearly career criminals."