Talk about throwing out the baby with the bath water!
Eight registered sex offenders were released from jail in Monroe County, N.Y., following an order from Governor Andrew Cuomo calling for 1,100 parole violators across the state to be freed due to concerns over the coronavirus.
“We’re releasing people who are in jails because they violated parole for non-serious reasons,” Cuomo told MSNBC on Friday.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
The Cuomo administration directed the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to release 400 inmates in New York City and 700 across the rest of the state. (RELATED: Calif. prisons to release up to 3,500 inmates as coronavirus spreads)
Level 3 Sex Offenders
Of the nine registered sex offenders, three have been identified as Level 3 violators meaning they have a “high risk of re-offense.” Some, including these three, have reportedly been put up in a Holiday Inn Express.
It gets worse.
WIVB 4 reports that “all three of the level 3 sex offenders staying at the Holiday Inn Express have been convicted for the rape of minors.”
How Could This Happen?
This is part of the problem with issuing blanket orders to release criminals as a means to halt the spread of coronavirus.
These three individuals technically met Cuomo’s criteria of having only violated parole for “non-serious reasons.” But their original punishable violations were not taken into account. DOCCS, in a statement to News 8, explained that they were released due to a “review of the underlying technical violation, not the original crime.”
Rape of a minor is a hell of a thing to ignore when deciding who gets released.
Justifiable Outrage
Patrick Phelan, the Chief of Police in Greece, N.Y., is justifiably outraged over the release of very serious felons.
“We weren’t told by anyone,” Phelan told WIVB. “I think good practice would be if you’re going to release convicted felons – some of them very violent – some of those level 3 sex offenders … you might want to give law enforcement the heads up.”
The chief also noted that the Monroe County Jail’s release of over fifty prisoners makes little sense because there has been no evidence of coronavirus in the facility.
“They don’t have the virus in the jail,” he explained. “There’s zero cases.”
Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich is calling on Sheriff Baxter and all law enforcement agencies to join him in contacting Governor Andrew Cuomo and insisting he returns the inmates to their cells at Monroe County Jail. https://t.co/ednBkcAZFS
— News 8 WROC (@News_8) March 29, 2020
And yet, Cuomo’s DOCCS still insists they took action as a means to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“This significant action is being taken in response to a growing number of COVID-19 cases in local jails over the past few days and weeks,” they wrote in a statement. “Our top priority remains the public health and safety of New Yorkers during this global public health emergency and this measure will further protect a vulnerable population from contracting and transmitting this infectious disease.”
No, it’s an over-reaction and a very ill-advised move in trying to cover the governor’s backside.
Will the media continue to heap praise on Cuomo for his leadership and preparedness considering this news?
*UPDATE*: According to WHAM-13, four of the sex offenders have been removed from the hotel in Greece, N.Y.
“Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich said it is not clear where the released inmates are being moved to,” the report said.
Cross posted at the Mental Recession
