Wednesday, April 22, 2009
DA: We Won't Prosecute Misdemeanors
Law Enforcement & Crime / People / Politics Robert Gammon — Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 6:21 AM
Many misdemeanor crimes, including thefts, assaults, burglaries, and drug offenses will no longer be prosecuted in Contra Costa County because of budget cuts, according to the Chron. District Attorney Robert Kochly made the announcement yesterday, saying he needed to close a $1.8 million deficit and lay off prosecutors. Kochly also says his office will no longer prosecute some felony drug possession crimes. That makes a lot of sense, quite frankly. If counties throughout the state stopped putting people behind bars for small-time drug offenses, which essentially are victimless crimes, then their budgets would be in much better shape. But not prosecuting misdemeanor thefts, assaults, burglaries? That looks like a mistake, and the county ought to be able to reprioritize it funds to stop that from happening. In fact, it makes you wonder whether the DA is trying to scare the county board of supes into giving his office more money.
Comments (2)
Showing 1-2 of 2
Editor: Your paper and two others had headline news yesterday about Contra Costa County D.A..,Robert Kochly, and his decision to save money by refusing to prosecute misdemeanors. Amazing- after 35 years in office, he thinks hat is his only option? He knows, I'm sure, that the county could save $1.1 million per case if he stopped pursuing death penalty sentences. Contra Costa County has one death penalty active case at this time; converting the sentence to permanent imprisonment without parole would put his budget in balance.
Rita Kresha
like
dislike
Does this mean I can go to Fremont right now, get naked, light up a spleef and run around shoplifting Twinkies with impunity? WoooHoooo! Paaaaar-tay!!!
Seriously, even if the DA is going to do this, announcing it publicly is unbelievably stupid.
Author Archives
-
Jerry Brown’s Optimism Has Been Costly
- May 18, 2012
-
A’s Planned Move to San Jose Looks Dead
- May 17, 2012
- More»
