Andy Kahan - Crime Stoppers Joins Houston's Morning News

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, there are judges, especially here in Harris County in
other parts of Texas too, that you know that they
are just going to issue a PR barn that they
don't care what the criminal is accused of doing, or
has already been convicted of doing, or is likely to
do again if you let them out of jail. They

(00:20):
just give them a PR bond and let them out
of jail. There's been a lot of negative publicity for
these judges, but they don't seem to care. They haven't
changed their minds a lick. So now there's talk in
the Texas state legislature from a Harris County state lawmaker
about having a bill that would put these judges on notice,
you are responsible if a violent criminal offender commits a

(00:42):
crime while he's out on one of your PR bonds,
you will be held liable. Andy conjoins Is from crime Stuffers.
First of all, Andy, do you like the idea? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Absolutely, I think the House still one to sixty three,
I mean, deserves scrutiny, thoughtful consideration. I think it's a
public debate that's been waiting to happen and will hopefully
happen this special session. I think victims defendants in frankly,
the public. They deserve a criminal justice system that's fully transparent, accountable,

(01:11):
and follows the law, and this bill will do that.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Okay, As I understand, here's what would be covered if
this bilberred to pass the way it is. If judges
who are acting in cases of murder, kidnapping, human trafficking,
or any other violent offense. What I don't know is
what type of punishment. What kind of liability would a
judge have if a repeat offender goes out in does
one of these crimes on a PR bond.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
Well, it's basically civil liability when you think about it.
And doctor Olivererson, who is a practicing position, brings up
a great analogy. If somebody in a medical field violates
the oath of the medical practice that they're under, they
can be held civilly liable if any injuries result of

(01:58):
what they did on a medical basis. Same thing with
police officers. They're held liable for misconduct. Even prosecutors can
be held liable for misconducts. So there's no legitimate reason
why the judiciary has been spared from this. And that's
what I think this still will do. I think it'll
set the tone. It'll let judges know, Hey, we got

(02:20):
to be really careful. If we're going to grant a
PR bond, specifically a PR bond to a violent offender,
which you shouldn't be doing anyways, and that person goes
out and commits a horrific crime like murder or sexual assault,
you're now going to be held civilly liable.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
Well, let me let me push this even further. How
about holding somebody criminally liable for doing something like this
if you have if you let a known violent offender
out on a PR bond who commits murder, why not
charge them as an accessory to the crime.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
No, Jimmy, that's that's a really good point. So I
think you got to start somewhere, and I think you've
got to start on the civil side, and then we
can progress perhaps making a criminal offense down the road
if it's so be it. But I do think one
thing that we are seeing, particularly in Harris Canty, is
we are seeing judges that have done a much better job,

(03:18):
particularly granting PR bonds. Kind of where it falls flat
is the magistrates, And hopefully with the new bill that
was passed in the law by Senator Huffman Senate Bill nine.
Hopefully that will end starting actually next week September first,
making sure that magistrates don't have the power or the

(03:39):
authority to grant PR bonds on certain offenses.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
All right, good stuff, Andy conn thanks as always, good
to talk to you, sir. You take care. It's from
crime Stoppers Andy Kahn. Interesting. Yeah, I'd kind of like
to hold them criminally liable in addition to being civilly liable.
I think that might cure the problem. Anyway, y'all have
a great day. Thanks for listening. See tomorrow morning bright
nearly five am. Hope to see you this afternoon four

(04:03):
on AM nine fifty k PRC.