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A CHANCE. >> IN CONCORD NEW HAMPSHIRE’S TEN COUNTY ATTORNEYS, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, ARE CALLING FOR THE REPEAL OF THE STATE’S BAIL REFORM LAW WHICH HAS VASTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS GOING TO JAIL AFTER ARREST. >> "THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL TEN COUNTY ATTORNEYS AGREE ON BECAUSE IT IS AFFECTING ALL OF OUR PRACTICES, IT’S AFFECTING ALL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, IT’S NOT A POCKET OF THE STATE, IT’S NOT AN AREA OF THE STATE THIS IS EVERYONE." >> HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ATTORNEY MICHAEL CONLON, A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT, SAYS TOO MANY DANGEROUS OFFENDERS ARE BEING TURNED BACK OUT ON THE STREET. HE DETAILED A HIGH-LEVEL DRUG CASE AND A VIOLENT ASSAULT ARREST WHICH RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE RELEASES UNDER BAIL REFORM. >> "THE ACCUSED PROVIDED A VOLUNTARY STATEMENT IN WHICH THEY ADMITTED TO THE PUNCHING AND THE STRANGLING, AND HE WAS ARRESTED FOR FELONY ASSAULT AND MULTIPLE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. THE ACCUSED WAS RELEASED ON PR BAIL." >> ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS FOR THE REFORM WAS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE NOT KEPT BEHIND BARS AWAITING TRIAL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN’T PAY TO GET OUT. DR. BUZZ SCHERR, WHO WROTE THE BAIL REFORM LAW, SAYS PEOPLE JUST NEED TIME TO ADAPT TO A NEW KIND OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. >> "CHANGE IS PAINFUL, AND HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH NEWNESS AND COMPLICATION, IF IT ADDRESSES WHAT WE WANT TO, IS NOT A IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE." >> "GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU, WHO INITIALLY SUPPORTED BAIL REFORM BUT HAS SINCE ECHOED CONCERNS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS ALSO WEIGHING IN." IN A STATEMENT TO NEWSNINE, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO STOP LISTENING TO THE ACLU AND PRO-BAIL REFORM SPECIAL INTERESTS AND START LISTENING TO COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FIX THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL >> "REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IS NOT TO KEEP PUTTING BAND-AIDS

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New Hampshire's 10 county attorneys called on lawmakers Friday to repeal the bail reform law that was passed in 2018.>> Download the FREE WMUR appSome of the most progressive prosecutors in the state said public safety is at risk, while those in favor of reform said more time is needed to give it a chance. The county attorneys said bail reform has vastly reduced the number of criminal offenders going to jail after arrest."This is something that all 10 county attorneys agree on because it is affecting all of our practices," said Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi. "It's affecting all of the police departments. It's not a pocket of the state. It's not an area of the state. This is everyone."Hillsborough County Attorney Michael Conlon, a progressive Democrat, said too many dangerous offenders are being turned back out on the street. He described a high-level drug case and a violent assault arrest that resulted in immediate releases under bail reform."The accused provided a voluntary statement in which they admitted to the punching and the strangling, and he was arrested for felony assault and multiple misdemeanor charges," Conlon said. "The accused was released on personal recognizance bail."One of the primary reasons for bail reform was to make sure people are not kept behind bars awaiting trial simply because they can't pay to get out. University of New Hampshire law professor Buzz Scherr, who wrote the bail reform law, said people need time to adapt to a new kind of criminal justice system."Change is painful, and having difficulty with newness and complication, if it addresses what we want to, is something that should not be an issue," he said.Gov. Chris Sununu, who initially supported bail reform but has since echoed concerns from law enforcement, also weighed in."The Legislature needs to stop listening to the ACLU and pro-bail reform special interests and start listening to county attorneys and law enforcement to fix this issue once and for all," Sununu said in a statement to News 9."Really, the only way to fix this problem is not to keep putting Band-Aids over the original bail reform," said Manchester Police Chief Carlo Capano. "It's to pull it back, repeal it."