SENATOR GOLDEN AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN MALLIOTAKIS ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING CONVICTION OF COP KILLER

Brooklyn– State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-C-I, Staten Island-Brooklyn) today have issued a joint statement regarding the conviction of Tyrone Howard in the murder of Officer Randolph Holder.

“I am delighted that Officer Randolph Holder and his family have finally received justice and that Tyrone Howard will spend the rest of his life in prison. Sadly, this tragedy could have been prevented if the courts would have denied this violent criminal entry into a drug diversion program that put Howard back on the street to commit murder. Recently the Senate passed “Officer Randolph Holder's Law”,  (S27/A3404), a bill designed to make necessary reforms to judicial diversion programs to ensure and enhance public safety. Moving forward, it is important that the public and law enforcement officers are protected from violent individuals who take advantage of drug treatment programs to get back on the streets to commit further crimes," said Senator Marty Golden, a former New York City Police Officer. "In no circumstance should any person with an extensive criminal history be afforded the privileges, and opportunities, substance abuse treatment programs afford people. These important drug programs should be granted solely to individuals with a limited non-violent criminal history and who do not pose a threat to society. This bill would narrow the eligibility requirements for those entering judicial diversion, prohibiting those who have more than two prior felony convictions.”

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis stated, "The conviction of Tyrone Howard for the murder of Detective Holder is a conclusion to a catastrophic series of events that exposed a gaping flaw in our criminal justice system.  Despite the fact that Detective Holder's killer will be penalized accordingly and prevented from continuing to live as a societal menace, the entire tragedy could have been avoided if Howard was not inappropriately sentenced to a drug treatment program, allowing him to be diverted from prison and put back on our streets. In light of this tragedy, and to prevent another one from occurring, the Assembly must follow the Senate's lead in passing A 3404, preventing hardened criminals with multiple felony convictions from entering diversion programs intended for those who have committed minor offenses because they are truly afflicted with drug addiction."

NYPD Officer Randolph Holder, who while on patrol in East Harlem on October 20, 2015, was senselessly murdered while responding to a report of shots fired. The person who committed this heinous and irrational crime had five previous drug convictions, was wanted by police in connection with a September 1, 2015 shooting, and had a warrant open for failing to participate in a court ordered treatment. Court records show that despite a lengthy criminal history, the shooter was approved by the Court for a drug treatment program over the objections of the prosecutor, who argued in favor of incarceration given the perpetrator's history of violence.


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