Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is disappointed that his Bail Reform legislation was once again sent to a study order, thus killing the bill. House Bill (HB) 1937: An Act Relative to the Commonwealth’s Right to Appeal Bail Decisions, was referred to accompany a study order by the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, a move that effectively moves the bill out of the legislative session for further review, where no further action will be taken.
Mayor Sarno and State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., who has been the lead sponsor, has been filing this bail reform legislation since 2015. The Bill would support the Commonwealth and District Attorney’s ability to appeal bail decisions set in District Court.
Mayor Sarno states, “First, I want to thank state Representative Angelo Puppolo for his continued leadership and efforts in refiling our bail reform legislation. I also want to thank Representative Brian Ashe for cosponsoring this legislation. I deeply appreciate their efforts in helping to support the Commonwealth and our communities by supporting the District Attorney’s right to appeal bail decisions set in District Court. Again, this legislation would take no rights away from defendants, it would give our District Attorney’s another tool to help fight crime and keep violent repeat criminal offenders off our streets and out of our neighborhoods.”
Mayor Sarno, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, and State Representatives Angelo Puppolo initially proposed the legislation in October of 2015 following an alarming trend of repeat violent criminal offenders returning to our neighborhoods and recommitting violent crimes after being released by the courts with little to no bail.
Mayor Sarno continued, “I will continue to fight for our residents and business community against these violent repeat criminal offenders that continue to terrorize our neighborhoods and streets. There are numerous examples of dangerous situations that could have been prevented if repeat violent criminal offenders had been locked up. With our brave and dedicated Springfield Police Officer Nestor Santos, for example, who was shot at and lost sight in one eye due to the criminal actions of a repeat offender who should never have been out on the streets based on his prior record. It’s ironic that this important bail reform has been shelved and sent to study as a repeat violent offender goes to trial in the coming weeks for shooting a brave, dedicated, and decorated officer in the face and the leg, leaving him blind, also the injuries to two Mass DOT workers and others who were subject to these wanton criminal acts. What about the rights of victims and their families?”
“Under the current system, our Springfield Police arrest dangerous individuals who then fear no repercussion from the courts which in turn emboldens them to create more havoc on our streets, in our neighborhoods, to our residents and businesses. We need help from our legislature on this bail reform so that our District Attorney’s can have bail decisions reviewed by a higher court – the same right defendants already have.”
“Again, this is only for the violent repeat criminal offenders that continue to deal poison on our streets and put our citizens at risk with guns and drugs,” explained Mayor Sarno. “These individuals have little to no regard to the conditions in which they are released – GPS ankle bracelet, probation; none of these conditions of their release seems to deter these repeat violent criminal offenders from committing more crimes in our neighborhoods and negatively impacting public safety and quality of life for our residents and business community.”
“I will continue to work diligently with Police Superintendent Larry Akers, Sheriff Nick Cocchi, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and our state delegation as we continue to fight for the residents and businesses of Springfield,” added Mayor Sarno.
State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. stated, “My colleagues and I will continue to work with Mayor Sarno and his administration, Police Superintendent Larry Akers, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, and all of our public safety partners on the local, state and federal level. Public safety will remain our number one priority in Springfield and across the Commonwealth, and I will continue to fight and refile this legislation on behalf of Mayor Sarno and in support all of our District Attorney’s statewide.”
“I join with my colleague Representative Puppolo in supporting this bill and will continue to advocate on behalf of the City of Springfield and Western Massachusetts. We will continue to collectively work together with all of our public safety partners and support their efforts to keeping our communities safe,” State Representative Brian Ashe said.
District Attorney Anthony Gulluni added, “This legislation is common sense step for public safety. It gives prosecutors the same right to another opinion on bail amounts or conditions of release that defendants have. It is a reasonable step that would strengthen our ability to protect our communities while taking nothing away from the existing rights of defendants.”
While the proposed legislation seeks to give the Commonwealth the right to appeal bail in District Court, it does not take away any current rights of defendants. It is to be one more tool for our District Attorneys to keep violent repeat criminal offenders off our streets and out of our neighborhoods, while keeping our residents and businesses safe.