{"id":1786,"date":"2020-02-01T03:11:10","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T03:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=1786"},"modified":"2023-03-27T15:52:09","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T15:52:09","slug":"da-deberrys-progressive-agenda-put-on-trial-at-town-hall-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2020\/02\/01\/da-deberrys-progressive-agenda-put-on-trial-at-town-hall-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"DA Deberry’s progressive agenda put on trial at town hall meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Allen Jones\u2019 grandson was <\/span>murdered<\/span><\/a> last year in Burlington. The person charged with killing the 18-year-old and two others had multiple prior violent convictions, including homicide, but was released on probation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he committed armed robbery, it was like this murder didn\u2019t exist,\u201d Jones told the 9th Street Journal. \u201cHe got a smack on the hand and probation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Jones says he is fighting against policies that he considers to be too lenient on violent offenders. He\u2019s particularly concerned about plea deals for people who have been previously convicted of a violent crime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

District Attorney Satana Deberry\u2019s annual report <\/span>shows<\/span><\/a> that she relied heavily on pleas for murder convictions \u2014 just three of 25 convictions were decided by a jury trial, doubling the previous year\u2019s total number of plea convictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jones took the microphone at a town hall event Thursday to ask about her office\u2019s role in keeping the community safe when releasing violent offenders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow can that be of any good to the community?\u201d Jones asked. \u201cHow do you all play a part in being responsible for turning that murderer loose back into the community?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a science,\u201d Deberry responded. \u201cWe cannot predict down the road what\u2019s going to happen. I\u2019m sorry about what happened with your grandson \u2026 What I can say is we don\u2019t take any homicide plea lightly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the event held at St. Joseph’s African Methodist Episcopal Church near North Carolina Central University and attended by hundreds, community members, like Jones, questioned Deberry\u2019s progressive stance on prosecution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In her first year in office, Deberry has discouraged cash bail for lower-level crimes and welcomed less traditional methods such as restorative justice. But she has weathered her fair share of criticism. Half of her staff<\/span> has changed<\/span><\/a> since she took over in January 2019, with some quitting over disagreements about her approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Deberry used Thursday\u2019s town hall to tout her accomplishments from her first year in office, which include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n