NYC's de Blasio: Let Judges Consider Danger Before Releasing Felons

The state of New York should pass a law to allow its judges to consider how dangerous a felon might be before releasing him from prison, said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in light of the recent shooting death of a police officer Randolph Holder.

"There's only three states in this country that have such an arcane bail system," de Blasio said Sunday on "The Cats Roundtable" on AM 970 in New York. 

"Forty-seven states and the federal government follow a simple rule: A judge is allowed to consider how dangerous an individual might be, and what their record has been in terms of being dangerous, and then make the bail decision."

Had the judge who released Tyrone "Peanut" Howard been allowed to look at Howard's long rap sheet of 23 arrests, including the shooting of an 11-year-old, he never would have released him to a drug diversion program, de Blasio told host John Catsimatidis.

"A judge should be required to consider if someone’s dangerous before making a decision on diversion," the mayor said. "Albany has to pass a new law … It’s time for Albany to act."

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