Just enforce the existing gun laws and put criminals in jail. We all know the solution to the crime problem and it isn't guns, it's criminals. It's the blue state/city politicians, prosecutors and judges. The dazzler hates the fact that Guiliani saved thousands of black lives and votes for the catch and release policies. He is focused like a laser on getting guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/11/how-about-if-we-enforce-the-laws-we-already-have.phpMy colleague David Zimmer is a veteran of more than 30 years in the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and now is a Policy Fellow at American Experiment. David makes the case that our crime problem is largely the fault of an irresponsible criminal justice system. David’s examples come from Minnesota, but the fecklessness he documents is no doubt common to many states, including all blue states. This is from his post, titled “Gun crime offenders and our court system’s anemic response.” David did a deep dive into court records to produce what follows:
We should be able to agree that gun crime offenders belong at the top of our public safety concerns. Unfortunately, our liberal state criminal justice system has failed to hold gun offenders accountable.
This lack of accountability is revealed in the gun-related cases of three young men over the past 1 ½ years — Muhnee Bailey aka “Money,” 21 yrs old, and twin brothers Quantez and Cortez Ward, both 19 years old.
The timeline of activity is convoluted, not because it is particularly complicated, but because the three are prolific in their gun crime activity. Sadly, despite several opportunities to do so, the state district courts failed to detain these men, or hold them accountable for their serious crimes. The courts have no excuse for not connecting these dots and protecting law-abiding citizens from dangerous offenders such as these.
Timeline of Offenses Known:On January 17, 2022, the Minneapolis Police received information that Muhnee and the Ward brothers were in a vehicle and all three had firearms. The police located the vehicle in North Minneapolis and attempted to stop it. Muhnee was driving, but instead of stopping he fled the police and ended up ramming a squad car head on. Muhnee and Quantez fled on foot before being arrested, while Cortez was arrested in the vehicle. Cortez and Quantez were each found to be in possession of handguns with extended magazines and “switches” that made them fully automatic “machine guns.” Muhnee was found to be in possession of a handgun with an extended magazine.
All three were booked into the Hennepin County Jail, and the cases were submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Muhnee was charged with Felony Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle and Gross Misdemeanor Carrying a Pistol without a Permit.
Quantez was charged with Felony Possession of a Machine Gun and Gross Misdemeanor Carrying a Pistol without a Permit, and Misdemeanor Fleeing Police on Foot.
Cortez was charged with Felony Possession of a Machine Gun and Gross Misdemeanor Carrying a Pistol without a Permit.
On 1/19/22, the Wards were each afforded $50,000 bail and each posted bond. Quantez’s bail was set at the same level as his brother despite being previously adjudicated guilty of felony possession of a firearm as a juvenile.
On 1/20/22, Muhnee was afforded $60,000 bail and posted bond, despite being on conditional release from Ramsey County for being the driver in a drive-by shooting in 2021, whereby 20 rounds were fired at a house with several children playing in the yard.
On 4/12/22, while released on bail from the two previously discussed cases, Muhnee shot a man in St. Paul, and fled the area. The police began an investigation.
On 5/2/22, Cortez was sentenced by Judge Lamas after pleading guilty to possessing the machine gun seized in January. His sentence was just 120 days on electronic home monitoring, and two years’ probation. If he successfully completed probation his conviction would have been converted to a misdemeanor.
On 5/6/22, just four days after being sentenced to home monitoring, Cortez was pulled over with Quantez by the Maple Grove Police. A loaded pistol was seized during the stop. Hennepin County issued a probation violation warrant and Cortez. He went before Judge Quam on 5/10/22 and was released with no bail and continued conditions of remaining law aiding, not possessing guns, etc. It doesn’t appear Quantez faced any repercussions at all for this gun seizure.
On 5/13/22, Quantez was sentenced by Judge Lamas after pleading guilty to possessing the machine gun. He received the same 120 electronic home monitoring and three years’ probation that Cortez did, despite being previously adjudicated guilty of felony possession of a firearm as a juvenile, and despite having just violated conditions of his release with the Maple Grove seizure of a firearm. His conviction would also revert to a misdemeanor if he successfully completed two years’ probation.
5/17/22, St. Paul Police executed a search warrant on Muhnee’s residence and vehicle. They seized two handguns (one fully automatic), a drum magazine, and ammunition. Muhnee was arrested and charged in Ramsey County Court with possession of a machine gun, and 2nd degree assault for shooting the man in April. Muhnee was afforded $100,000 bail. On 5/20/22 he posted $100,000 bond and was released from the Ramsey Co. Jail. There is no record that Hennepin Co. took any action against his conditional release from the January weapon and fleeing case.
On 7/19/22, police executed another search warrant on the residence of Cortez and Quantez. Multiple firearms and ammunition were seized. In an interview with police, Quantez admitted being a member of a North Minneapolis street gang and to having committed at least five drive-by shootings as a member of the gang.
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Chitty chitty bang bang, motherfuckers.