Tedisco, Senate GOP Offer Amendment to Repeal New Bail Law and Close Revolving Door of Danger and Disaster

On National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C,I,REF-Glenville) today joined his Senate Republican colleagues to put forth on the Senate Floor an amendment to repeal the controversial new bail and discovery reform law and close the revolving door of dangerous individuals being arrested and released from jail over and over again.

The amendment, (which failed along party lines 20-40), seeks to put the brakes on the bail/discovery reform law in order for the legislature to do what the Governor and Majorities didn’t do when they passed it without a single Republican vote in last year’s state budget: hold hearings across the state and get input from law enforcement, prosecutors and victims’ groups.  It is similar to legislation Senator Tedisco is sponsoring for a full repeal of the bail reform law (S.6849). 

Scores of perpetrators, many of whom, have a record of committing violent crimes, have been released from jail or given an appearance ticket after their arrest over the past nine days since the law went into effect. Among a sampling of just some of the notorious examples of alleged perpetrators charged with violent crimes who have been released into the community include:

·       A Cohoes man, Anthony Ojeda, who was charged with second-degree manslaughter and felony assault in the methamphetamine overdose death of a 6-week-old baby.

·       Christopher Seamans, a serial bank robber, who was charged with robbing the Pioneer Savings Bank in Colonie. 

·       Last week in Brooklyn, Tiffany Harris was arrested on 21 menacing, harassment attempted assault charges and released without bail after assaulting three Orthodox Jewish women. She was arrested two more times in the following days. 

·       A Westbury man, Gerard Conway, who is accused in a string of six burglaries on Long Island was released under the new state bail law, and hours later on New Year's Day, he committed another burglary.

“The Governor gave an 80-minute State of the State Address that had no mention of the bail and discovery reform law he was so proud of when he touted it after it passed and subsequently touted over the past several months. If the Governor thinks this bail reform law is so great, why didn’t it make the cut for his ‘Greatest Hits’ album of accomplishments he celebrated yesterday? It’s clear that the Governor and many of the Democrats who passed bail reform realize it’s a clunker and are now doing the moon walk to try and walk it back and get away from this,” said Senator Jim Tedisco.  

“Repealing bail reform and doing it the right way should be our top priority – with input and hearings across the state from citizens, victims’ groups, law enforcement and criminal justice professionals! And it should be discussed and debated outside of any budget by the legislature in the light of day!” said Senator Tedisco.