STATEMENT FROM SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAYMOND A. TIERNEY ON THE RECENT NEW YORK STATE BAIL LAW CHANGES

“Despite an epidemic of fentanyl deaths, under the new bail laws we still cannot even ask for bail for fentanyl dealers unless they deal enough to kill 134,000 people, they get arrested for dealing while out on bail or until we can establish that they actually killed someone. Although a small step in the right direction, the recent changes to our bail laws enacted in the NY State Budget do not change the list of qualifying offenses for which prosecutors are allowed to ask for bail. New York also remains the only state where Judges cannot consider the danger to the community posed by a defendant when considering bail. Therefore, as a whole, the changes are woefully inadequate to address the various public safety crises we are now facing.”

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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