Gov. JB Pritzker rebukes state’s legal professional who stated SAFE-T Act might be ‘best jailbreak’ in historical past

After an Illinois state’s legal professional stated the SAFE-T Act can be the “best jailbreak” in historical past, Gov. JB Pritzker rebuked the declare and stated offenders of great crimes won’t be able to “purchase their method out of jail.”

Madison County State’s Legal professional Thomas Haine stated in an open letter to residents earlier this month that the “best jailbreak” in historical past would happen on January 1 when the SAFE-T Act goes into impact absolutely.

Haine stated half of the jail inhabitants in Madison County — over 100 inmates — might be required to be launched.

Lots of the inmates launched might be awaiting trial for crimes equivalent to aggravated driving underneath the affect, aggravated battery and housebreaking.

Haine stated lots of these anticipated to be launched are repeat offenders and beforehand failed to look in court docket or adjust to the circumstances of their launch.

“A vital a part of our present prison justice system is our means to detain some prison defendants previous to trial when acceptable. This protects witnesses and victims, stops repeat offenders, and permits a swifter decision to instances,” Haine stated within the letter.

The state’s legal professional stated Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s workplace has made false statements about state’s attorneys with the ability to request defendants held with out bond as soon as the brand new laws is in place.

Haine stated prosecutors will solely be capable of ask a decide to carry a restricted group of defendants with out bond.

Pritzker despatched a letter to Haine on Friday in response and stated Haine is defending a “prison justice established order” the place accused murderers, home batterers, rapists, and different harmful criminals “should buy their method out of jail pending trial in the event that they come up with the money for.”

“Your strategy – in search of to discourage attainable future crimes by punishing people accused of much less critical offenses earlier than they’ve the chance to defend themselves in court docket – is opposite to the inspiration of our justice system and primarily based on outdated analysis that has been debunked,” Pritzker stated.

Pritzker stated that the money bail system contributes to a justice system that disproportionately punishes Black and Brown residents.

“The SAFE-T Act ensures that these charged with home abuse, homicide, rape, and different critical crimes can’t purchase their method out of jail – as they will proper now – as a result of it bases detention on danger somewhat than wealth. That’s why home violence advocacy organizations assist ending money bail , together with the Illinois Coalition Towards Home Violence, who referred to it as reform that prioritizes the security of survivors,” the governor stated.

Pritzker known as out Haine for claiming sure offenses develop into non-detainable underneath the SAFE-T Act.

“However your studying of the regulation has been debunked by a number of non-partisan reality checkers, together with the Related Press, Snopes, and Politifact. However, within the curiosity of justice and security, I’ll clarify the fallacy in your studying of the regulation,” Pritzker stated.

The governor stated state attorneys have “a number of choices for detention” in terms of defendants who commit offenses equivalent to second-degree homicide and aggravated driving underneath the affect.

“Prosecutors might current proof that the defendant poses a menace to public security if the forceable felony concerned a member of the family or home violence,3 or that the defendant used a gun.4 Moreover, there’s nothing within the SAFE-T Act that forestalls prosecutors from utilizing their discretion to cost repeat offenders with increased stage felonies when the details point out it’s acceptable. Underneath this technique, danger, not wealth, determines whether or not these defendants might be detained previous to their trial,” Pritzker stated.