Comments on: Police Log: September 16 http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/09/15/police-log-september-16/ the gay community's news source Wed, 22 May 2013 22:21:36 +0000 hourly 1 By: brian http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/09/15/police-log-september-16/#comment-29388 brian Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:50:07 +0000 http://www.washingtonblade.com/?p=28661#comment-29388 LGBT residents should be watchdogs over the 3 DISTINCT AREAS of the criminal justice process… with tough questions for police, prosecutors and judges (and activist groups, too)…  
 
(1) POLICE ENFORCEMENT: Is MPD/GLLU effectively investigating, charging and enforcing with arrests, the criminal laws– both large and small–  which are already on the books? IMO, police failure to enforce smaller LGBT bias motivated crimes, may be an invitation to the twisted, hateful minds of too many, to commit even more serious crimes.

How knowledgeable of applicable laws are investigators at MPD/GLLU? And are complaining LGBT victims promptly provided MPD Criminal Complaint Numbers (CCN numbers) and a copy of MPD’s Event Report soon after a Complaint is filed?

(2) USAO-DC PROSECUTION: Is USAO-DC (or the DCAG, if suspects are minors) effectively prosecuting hate crimes laws when suspects are so charged by MPD? If so, are prosecutors’ plea bargains penalties in hate crimes cases roughly 50% greater than non-hate crimes plea bargains?

(3) CRIMINAL SENTENCING: Are admitted/ convicted hate crimes perpetrators getting lighter sentences than comparable crime perps in the criminal justice process? Are any LGBT activist groups (GLOV, GLAA, e.g.) monitoring hate crimes cases from start to finish? What about providing LGBT victims and community members an opportunity to submit *community impact statements* to judges prior to sentencing through a *Court Watch* type program?

How many LGBT residents in DC know that criminal THREATS and STALKING crimes are not even included as part of DC’s aging hate crimes law (Bias-Related Crimes Act)? I confirmed that fact with MPD just last week.

Given an escalating hate crimes crisis in DC, Mayor Gray and/or the Council should introduce legislation to promptly fix that, and give MPD and prosecutors more tools to combat hate crimes.

]]> By: laurelboy2 http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/09/15/police-log-september-16/#comment-29121 laurelboy2 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:48:25 +0000 http://www.washingtonblade.com/?p=28661#comment-29121 The manner in which this report is written demonstrates that everything could have been handled by the police department with no need for a GLLU to be involved.

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