Man Allegedly Robs His Fifth Bank in 2 Weeks After NY No-Bail Law Lets Him Walk
Less than two weeks into the new year, New York’s latest criminal justice reform effort is reportedly already coming back to burn the state.
A serial robbery suspect released from police custody without bail this week is now wanted for yet another alleged bank robbery that took place just one day after his initial release, the New York Post reported.
According to the outlet, 42-year-old Gerod Woodberry was charged with grand larceny Thursday after a “mini bank-robbing spree” in which the suspect allegedly slipped robbery notes to four bank tellers from Harlem to the West Village, making off with more than $2,000 total.
“I can’t believe they let me out” were Woodberry’s words as authorities prepared him for his release, returning personal items taken during his arrest at the hands of Manhattan patrol officers, the Post reported, citing anonymous sources. “What were they thinking?”
What motivation does this suspect have to return to court? None.
This makes NYPD cops’ jobs harder, and makes New Yorkers less safe. https://t.co/ZNIQXocLSr
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) January 11, 2020
Well, if that question was being asked of New York City’s law enforcement personnel, the answer seems fairly simple.
I can only imagine they were thinking their hands were tied and they had to comply with the state’s brand new “no bail” criminal justice reform law, which took effect Jan. 1.
If it was asked of New York’s legislative elites and naive criminal justice reform idealists, however, the question becomes far, far harder to answer.
What in fact was the New York state legislature thinking when its Democratic majority went for broke on the “Bail Elimination Act of 2019,” all but abolishing cash bail for those charged with one or more of the nearly 400 crimes deemed nonviolent by the state?
The thought must have been rather convoluted, if a single lawmaker voting in favor was thinking at all.
Because that list includes not only misdemeanors, but a handful of felonies as well, meaning even those accused of criminally negligent homicide or selling drugs on or near school property will now walk free, according to WCBS.
In fact, judges are often barred from even considering the accused’s criminal history when determining bail — a factor that should already have members of the legislature moving forward with major amendments to the new law.
As well they should, considering Woodberry is far from the only individual released as a result of the law and wanted in connection with a subsequent offense.
New York City’s own “Burberry Bandit” Cornell Neilly, charged in connection with more than a dozen bank robberies since 2012, was released from jail last month, according to the Post, only to be scooped up by authorities once again last week after another alleged bank robbery.
Long Island woman Maria Campione has been released without bail more than four times already this year, according to WCBS, having been held on $25,000 bail late last year for a sizable burglary until the bail reform law took effect on Jan. 1.
Are we sensing a pattern here? Clearly, something isn’t working.
And I’m no expert, but I would have to assume it’s Democratic New York’s radical new soft-on-crime approach — especially considering it wasn’t long ago that New York City was seeing a big decline in all forms of major criminal activity.
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