Let Your Voice Be Heard re: Action of DC Council

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know that you can't imagine being in that situation; that's the value in having a different perspective on the committee.

I find this point of view bewildering. "If someone commits a horrific crime that the rest of us can't imagine committing, then they have a value alternative perspective on life and we should have them in our government." What next, should we get some January 6'ers to be part of our government since most people in D.C. can't imagine assaulting The Capitol for Trump?

We're not asking this person to legislate. They are providing a different POV on sentencing because they have the perspective of someone who grew up in a different community than most people on this site, and then went through an experience that I doubt 1% of users could understand.

We also need more rapists, child molesters and can we at least find ONE serial killer too?

This passive voice as though it was something that happened to him, not he took a HUMAN LIFE, it's sick ideology.

went through an experience that I doubt 1% of users could understand

Well no, I was referring to the 27 years he was in jail.

[Anonymous]

If you look into the facts of the case, it's pretty horrifying.

There is already an anti-prison/minimum sentence voice on the Commission.

Mendelson elevating someone who callously took a human life is sick. So was Charles Allen for advocating for a man who raped a mother and young child, think she was 8/9. The people on the Council seem to lack the most rudimentary moral compass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know that you can't imagine being in that situation; that's the value in having a different perspective on the committee.

I find this point of view bewildering. "If someone commits a horrific crime that the rest of us can't imagine committing, then they have a value alternative perspective on life and we should have them in our government." What next, should we get some January 6'ers to be part of our government since most people in D.C. can't imagine assaulting The Capitol for Trump?

We're not asking this person to legislate. They are providing a different POV on sentencing because they have the perspective of someone who grew up in a different community than most people on this site, and then went through an experience that I doubt 1% of users could understand.

We also need more rapists, child molesters and can we at least find ONE serial killer too?

This passive voice as though it was something that happened to him, not he took a HUMAN LIFE, it's sick ideology.

went through an experience that I doubt 1% of users could understand

Well no, I was referring to the 27 years he was in jail.

Deservedly so.

There is already an anti-carceral voice on the commission.

A family member of a homicide victim is not yet represented. Or an activist on behalf of homicide victims. Seems to be a GLARING omission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look into the facts of the case, it's pretty horrifying.

There is already an anti-prison/minimum sentence voice on the Commission.

Mendelson elevating someone who callously took a human life is sick. So was Charles Allen for advocating for a man who raped a mother and young child, think she was 8/9. The people on the Council seem to lack the most rudimentary moral compass.

Sickening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know that you can't imagine being in that situation; that's the value in having a different perspective on the committee.

I find this point of view bewildering. "If someone commits a horrific crime that the rest of us can't imagine committing, then they have a value alternative perspective on life and we should have them in our government." What next, should we get some January 6'ers to be part of our government since most people in D.C. can't imagine assaulting The Capitol for Trump?

We're not asking this person to legislate. They are providing a different POV on sentencing because they have the perspective of someone who grew up in a different community than most people on this site, and then went through an experience that I doubt 1% of users could understand.

…… because they MURDERED SOMEONE.

And they served their time, and are being given the opportunity to make a positive contribution to our community.

I don't think "they served their time" is enough. Lots of people also "serve their time" but then return right back out into a life of crime, too.

I think that at a bare minimum they need to be fully rehabilitated, have made amends to the victims, their families, and the community, have lived a clean and law-abiding life, and have shown positive leadership. That trust needs to be EARNED.

In a previous life I served on a disciplinary board for a profession and would encounter people who lost their license due to serious malfeasance or breach of ethics. After time, they might become eligible to be reinstated and would apply and request reinstatement, but then sometimes you'd get someone who would still not show any sign of remorse or acknowledgement that what they did was wrong. NOPE. "They served their time" on its own is not enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mendelson elevating someone who callously took a human life is sick. So was Charles Allen for advocating for a man who raped a mother and young child, think she was 8/9. The people on the Council seem to lack the most rudimentary moral compass.

That case is horrific when you read the details of what happened:

https://twitter.com/kdrkrepp/status/1158839549675618305?s=46&t=pDhSMxxnLsXbwTdY_tEBnA

And the guy raped many others as well, he’s a serial rapist. Allen not only told the judge she made a mistake in denying the serial rapist an early release, he said that the law he wrote made it so judges aren’t allowed to consider the horrific nature of crimes.

I honestly don’t understand how anyone can defend this guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mendelson elevating someone who callously took a human life is sick. So was Charles Allen for advocating for a man who raped a mother and young child, think she was 8/9. The people on the Council seem to lack the most rudimentary moral compass.

That case is horrific when you read the details of what happened:

https://twitter.com/kdrkrepp/status/1158839549675618305?s=46&t=pDhSMxxnLsXbwTdY_tEBnA

And the guy raped many others as well, he’s a serial rapist. Allen not only told the judge she made a mistake in denying the serial rapist an early release, he said that the law he wrote made it so judges aren’t allowed to consider the horrific nature of crimes.

I honestly don’t understand how anyone can defend this guy.

I was about as horrified as a person could be when I first read this, and called his office to complain. To think of how crime has spiraled since then - I feel Allen has blood on his hands through his misguided policy and the reformation law (sans any reform) he implemented. He should be hounded from office - hopefully the recall takes flight.

[Anonymous]

When we need exponentially higher sentences, we just get more of the same: criminals laughing their way to the bank while walking all over the hard working citizens of this City.

Then the council will cry faulplay when tax revenues decline as all sane people flee the city in droves.

Until we get some right wing, sane politicians in our local government, the city will never improve.

[Anonymous]

Mendelson is really starting to sound cognitively impaired. If it doesn't really matter then he should not hesitate whatsoever to withdraw this nomination and appoint a victim advocate or family member of a homicide victim. Of course, with PROPER LEGAL notice given re: THAT hearing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mendelson elevating someone who callously took a human life is sick. So was Charles Allen for advocating for a man who raped a mother and young child, think she was 8/9. The people on the Council seem to lack the most rudimentary moral compass.

That case is horrific when you read the details of what happened:

https://twitter.com/kdrkrepp/status/1158839549675618305?s=46&t=pDhSMxxnLsXbwTdY_tEBnA

And the guy raped many others as well, he’s a serial rapist. Allen not only told the judge she made a mistake in denying the serial rapist an early release, he said that the law he wrote made it so judges aren’t allowed to consider the horrific nature of crimes.

I honestly don’t understand how anyone can defend this guy.

I was about as horrified as a person could be when I first read this, and called his office to complain. To think of how crime has spiraled since then - I feel Allen has blood on his hands through his misguided policy and the reformation law (sans any reform) he implemented. He should be hounded from office - hopefully the recall takes flight.

Share this info with anyone you know in Ward 4.

Mendelson loves to claim the Council has nothing to do with crime. BS!

[Anonymous]

The vote is tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Here is the letter Graves delivered to the Council, following their meeting where the USAO expressed that the Commission appointee should reflect a desire to turn around the trends

https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Letter-USAO-DC-to-Council-1-2-24-FINAL.pdf

[Anonymous]

The Council did not listen to USA Matt Graves. Maybe if enough of us push back they will think twice.

If they go ahead, will this be the low point? And if not, what will?

[Anonymous]

DC JL seems to have an enormous hold over the Council, is it just $$$? The comments to the post are full of common sense and the public has made it clear that crime is a primary concern. Stats show DC is an outlier among D cities with its crime trends. Yet, they do this. Why? Is there some hidden hand here?

And YES, those who claim being concerned about crime is "MAGA" - looking at YOU, ethically challenged Elissa Silverman - you are the ones giving cover to driving this city off a cliff. The financial repercussions are going to be enormous, combined with the CRE implosion and fed and commercial leases expiring and office footprints shrinking. Is this the kind of story that will boost tourism? Development? People wanting to move here? Losing the teams wasn't enough, now this?

Any sane politician would see it as wise to give victims a voice in these times. Yet, they nominate a murderer? That will be 2 anti-carceral voices on the Commission, while victims have NO VOICE. Portland and SF and Seattle are balanced by their states, DC has no ballast. The more poor black and brown people are shot and DIE in DC, the more they double down. How many dead black people will be enough for them? How many will suffer when revenue declines and services are cut?

[Anonymous]

The details about the guy, not just the murder, but more recently re: integrity, lying in Court, etc. really do not recommend him as a Commissioner.