SEATTLE - Her father died at the hands of Maurice Clemmons, the man who gunned down four Lakewood police officers last year after being released on bail, in spite of his lengthy criminal record.
Today, Jami-Mae Richards, the daughter of Officer Greg Richards, made her plea in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to prevent this from happening to another family.
"Most people in our state think the worst kind of criminals stay behind bars when they are caught. But I know from my dad that if they have the money, they usually don't," said Richards. "I know taxpayers in my neighborhood would rather spend their tax dollars keeping killers in jail instead of putting them in my dad's memorial fund."
The fiance of Kurt Husted also testified. Husted was working as an armored car guard when he was shot and killed at a Walmart last June. One of the suspects in the case, Odies Walker, is hoping to have his bail lowered.
"He's a perfect example of why we need to have this bill," said Deborah Bishop.
House Bill 4220, otherwise known as the Lakewood Police Officers' Memorial Act, would amend the state constitution and give judges the right to deny bail to the most dangerous suspects in Washington.
Yesterday, Senate leaders announced its own proposal that they believe is a balance between public safety and civil liberties.
But Rep. Mike Hope, (R) Lake Stevens, fears the Senate version will be a watered down version that won't offer enough protection.
"It will not cover some of the most potentially dangerous people in our society," said Rep. Hope.
Sen. Adam Kline, (D) Seattle, argued, "To what extent do we give judges unfettered discretion to determine who is dangerous?"
And the ACLU, among others, is concerned the bill takes away constitutional amendments.
"I am concerned that we are going too far to curtail the presumption of innocence that has stood in the state for 120 years," said Shnkar Narayan, ACLU of Washington.
To add a comment, please register or login.