Bruce Murphy
Back In The News

Evers Might Consider Changes in Bail

But only "if everybody sits back and takes a breath" and "every stakeholder" involved.

By - Dec 27th, 2021 12:30 pm
Gov. Tony Evers

Gov. Tony Evers. File photo by Emily Hamer / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers says he might support an overhaul of Wisconsin’s bail system, which has come under fire from Republicans since the Waukesha Christmas parade deaths.

In an interview Monday Evers told Madison’s WISC-TV that he might support bail reform laws in the wake of the tragedy, but cautioned that any reform would need “every stakeholder” at the table.

“You hate to use tragedy like this to create an impetus to change,” he said. “But if everybody sits back and takes a breath…maybe there’s a way that people that have a violent past could have higher bail. I’m open to that.”

Darrell Brooks, Jr., who allegedly ran over his wife with his SUV, later drove into the Waukesha parade, killing six people and injuring many others, two days after he was released on $1,000 bail. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has said his office’s bail request was a mistake, a “human error” by an overworked staff.

Some Republicans have called on Chisholm to resign, and Republican legislative committee withheld a raise for Chisholm. making him the only exception to a 2% raise given to state employees. Republican candidate for governor, Rebecca Kleefisch, has called for Evers to fire Chisholm, who is a Milwaukee County elected official whose current term runs through the 2024 year.

Some lawyers have cautioned against a rush to change the bail system based on this one incident.

2 thoughts on “Back In The News: Evers Might Consider Changes in Bail”

  1. Thomas Sepllman says:

    First read Why They Kill by Richard Rhodes Chapters 10 and 11 The test become what stage of the violence journey is the person on The question is not the $$$ but the danger to the community that no $$$$ should allow them on the streets.

    As Evers said we do not want a tragedy to be used for policy change BUT the question is how much money did the State of WI invest in incarceration Mr Brooks from the age of 17 and then even before and NEVER deal with the TRAUMA that he clearly had suffered as a young child. He received no therapy only more trauma when he was incarcerated. He was a creature of the State Prison System and then the Republicans want to blame the DA who is over worked and understaffed.

    When will Urban Milwaukee finally call me and pursue this????

  2. Phyllis Wax says:

    Ability to pay should not be how we decide whether someone is held pending trial. Do away with bail. The decision to release or not should be based on whether the person is a danger to the community and how likely they are to turn up for their trial.

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