Why Gun Crimes Continue In Chattanooga - And Response

  • Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Despite all of the moaning about guns, relatively little is done to those who commit gun crimes. 

For example, there is a report that a man (Davonte Ammons) fired two bullets into a residence where his son and two other people were, and the judge set his bail at $140,000.  If gun crimes are so heinous, why not set the bail at something substantive, like $500,000? 

Gun crimes continue because the punishments are relatively low. 

Chuck Stevens
Chattanooga 

* * *  

Chuck Stevens stated, "Despite all of the moaning about guns, relatively little is done to those who commit gun crimes... If gun crimes are so heinous, why not set the bail at something substantive, like $500,000?  Gun crimes continue because the punishments are relatively low."

Bail is not punishment, nor is it meant to be.  An individual is considered innocent until proven guilty; bail is merely to assure presence at trial.  Punishment comes after that.  A judge is not allowed to set a bail s/he knows the defendant can't possibly pay, unless the person has no ties to the community and/or represents a flight risk. 

While I agree many times the punishment is not what it should be, bail is a different matter altogether.

Kim Kinsey
Red Bank 

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