In early May, former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Dina Manzo and her boyfriend Dave Cantin arrived home from a party on a Saturday night to find themselves greeted by some unwelcome visitors. Two masked men had entered their townhouse, jumped the couple, tied them up, assaulted and robbed them. Cardin was beaten with a baseball bat and Manzo was punched in the face several times before the men fled the scene with cash and jewelry.
Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman and his wife Beth, flew to New Jersey to take on Governor Chris Christie over the pre-trial release policy that Dog and Beth say has put everyone in New Jersey in more danger.
Beth Chapman told ODN, “When I think of how afraid Dina Manzo must have been when she was bound up by those two thugs and didn’t know whether she and her boyfriend would live or die, it makes me furious. Dog and I understand law and order and we’ve seen the impact crime has on the victims, and the so-called criminal justice reforms that former Gov. Christie signed into law have let dangerous criminals run free.”
The Chapmans are referring to the law Christie signed in January 2017 that eliminated New Jersey’s bail system, and turned courthouses into a revolving door: Thousands of people get charged with a crime and released, with just a signed document promising to return to court. Now Hawaii is trying to adopt “bail reform”, which Beth says “is a get-out-of-jail-free card putting criminals back on the street the next day, often committing more crimes.”
Michael Kitchens from the group Stolen Stuff Hawaii says this is a trend with no statistical backing.
“There are four major bills in the legislature that are asking to release non-violent, repeat offenders without bail as long as they are not a “danger” or a “flight risk”. This means that they would be released just after stealing your car or burglarizing your home because they are “non-violent” crimes. We want harder, tougher laws against habitual criminals. We must advise our legislators to let other states provide complete statistical evidence on the pros and cons of on bail reformation before attempting to introduce this to our state and wreak havoc upon our communities.”
Comments on Kitchens group from the community do not feel this has their best interests in mind.
“These bills have no wording in them which will prevent repeat, habitual offenders from being released before trial. They only are worried if they are a “danger” or considered a “flight risk”. But ask anyone who has had their house burglarized or their car stolen and I can bet you they will say that they were traumatized from it.”
“Those two cowards that robbed Dina and used her boyfriend for batting practice better hope I don’t find them first. Unlike former Gov. Chris Christie, Assemblyman Rob Bonta and Senator Robert Hertzberg of California, I don’t play hug-a-thug,” said Dog Chapman.
Call To Action with Evidence Against Bail Reformation
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stolenstuffhawaii/permalink/2030450927217576/
To submit testimony follow the links below. You can also email each of the committee members and chair, let these legislators know how you feel. You have 24 hours to submit testimony.
HB1996: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Thursday, 02-01-18 10:00AM in House conference room 312.
Public Safety (PBS) Committee Member Emails:
Chair Takayama – reptakayama@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Vice Chair Gates – repgates@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Creagan – repcreagan@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Say – repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative DeCoite – repdecoite@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Thielen – repthielen@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Ing – reping@Capitol.hawaii.gov
PBS Committee page (with phone numbers):
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/committeepage.aspx…
Status Page:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx…
HB2221: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Thursday, 02-01-18 10:00AM in House conference room 312.
Public Safety (PBS) Committee Member Emails:
Chair Takayama – reptakayama@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Vice Chair Gates – repgates@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Creagan – repcreagan@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Say – repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative DeCoite – repdecoite@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Thielen – repthielen@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Ing – reping@Capitol.hawaii.gov
PBS Committee page (with phone numbers):
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/committeepage.aspx…
Status Page:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx…