Thursday, September 1, 2011

New Law: Felons With Guns Go To Jail

Interesting.  A reader sent this in, having seen it in Gov. Quinn's recent newsletter.  Since so many of the gangbangers are convicted felons, do you think it will have any effect on their behavior?  Or at least get them off our streets for longer periods of time?

"Fighting Gun Violence. On August 2, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 1589 into law, which is aimed at reducing gun violence in Illinois.  Felons convicted of new weapons offenses will be sent to prison for two to ten years and cannot be sentenced to probation.  Additional violations may increase the sentencing for three to fourteen years. The defendant must be previously convicted of a felony.  The bill came about following the death of Chicago Police Officer and Iraq War veteran, Thomas Wortham, who was shot outside of his family home by suspects who had previously been convicted of gun charges.  The law takes effect January 1, 2012."

16 comments:

  1. Good idea. Would've been nice if the minimum sentence had been 15 years. Two years just seems like a walk in the park.

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  2. Well its better than the probation that so many people seem to get in Chicago when the bullets they fire don't hit anyone.

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  3. Um. Shouldn't they be going to jail, anyway?

    Fearless is dead on, a 2 year minimum is, no pun intended, a cop out - and won't change anyone's mind.

    Instead of 2 - 10, make it 15 - 30 and give these people something to be afraid of.

    Although this is little more than a public relations bill, the ineligibility of parole is the one thing they did get right.

    Now, can someone explain why a bill designed to be tough on crime doesn't take effect immediately .. as the tax increase did?

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  4. I don't see this having any impact. Two years is a blip. Why not make it mandatory 15 years? Even if those bullets miss their mark the rest of us our living in fear everyday. Doesn't seem right.

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  5. If this law is legit, we need to encourage our leaders and police to make these types of arrests and get these cases pushed through.

    I am not encouraging our police to violate anyone's civil rights, but I see a lot of these clowns running around Uptown and can think of dozens of reasons to justify searches and pat-downs.

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  6. "Now, can someone explain why a bill designed to be tough on crime doesn't take effect immediately .. as the tax increase did?"

    Excellent comment!!

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  7. I agree with others that point out 2 yrs is insufficient for deterring offenders and protecting society from those who have already demonstrated a lack of concern for the welfare of others. Should be a minimum of 20, though I could accept 15. And remember the guy who shoots and misses hitting anyone is just as dangerous to the rest of us as the guy who shoots and kills and innocent bystander (or their intended victim) and goes away for life.

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  8. "And remember the guy who shoots and misses hitting anyone is just as dangerous to the rest of us as the guy who shoots and kills and innocent bystander (or their intended victim) and goes away for life."

    This is the part the politicians seem to forget. They miss one time, so they try again and again until their target or another is hit. 15 years minimum. That might be a deterent and if it's not, at least, that person is off the streets for 15 years.

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  9. Furthermore, many of these felons, after serving their time, go back to the same neighboorhood they were accused of committing the crime in.

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  10. In talking to cops there is also already federal charge for felon in possession of a firearm already on the books. Believe they said it was a mandatory minimum of five years, with up to 10 years depending on criminal history.

    Would be nice to see a few examples made under that federal law in Uptown and maybe a drug conspiracy indictment to disincentivize some of our local street dealers too.

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  11. The problem has been judges granting probation or setting a low bond. This law is going to make a huge difference in Uptown. Bravo to the legislators!

    What is sad is that it took the death of a police officer to push this legislation through.

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  12. "New Law: Felons With Guns Go To Jail"


    Considering how many Cook County felons are walking free on the streets with dozens of arrests and convictions already, why would this or ANY new law make you think it has any "teeth"?

    You can bet that before Quinn even signed this thing, Judges, ASA's and defense attorney's already knew how to get around it. I'd expect this charge to be dropped in plea deals so the felons can continue their crime spree against the rest of us while our understaffed police force has been re-deployed to protect the non-taxpayers.

    Ho hum, Another day in Uptown paradise!

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  13. Why just sentance convicted felons with guns. Why not charge anyone who fires a gun with attempted murder?

    As it stands no, fire a gun and hit an innocent victim, its a slap on the wrist.

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  14. In Cook County, (and ONLY Cook County), ALL felony charges must be approved by the States Attorney before police can charge defendants. The ASA's seem to find ANY reason they can to reject felony requests from police.

    This is so that whichever hack is currently in charge of this politically sensitive office, they can make sure that all of the "right people" can avoid prison, (eg. Daley nephew R.J. Vanecko, who was never even interviewed in a case where he may have caused a man's death after a street altercation).

    Yeah, it's all legit in Daleyland!

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  15. go back to the same neighboorhood they were accused of committing the crime in

    If I may .. replace "accused of" with "convicted of" ...

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  16. It will not have any effect. Case in point. An elderly women is driving down a dark street late at night this past week. She is being followed by ywo young thugs who park behind her as she has now parked her car. Two young policeman see this and stop these two thugs as they approach this women from behind. The policeman recover two handguns from them, each having one. They both have extensive criminal historys including several arrests for armed robbery. (Gee, I wonder what they were going to do?) Anyway, the young policemen arrest them and call the States Attorney seeking felony UUW charges on what should be a slam dunk case. The result you ask? The states Attorney denied felony charges.

    Until Anita Alverex and her band of rejecters get on board, they can pass all the laws they want. It doesn't mean a darn thing here in Crook County. They will do what they want, how they want irrespective of any law or court order. I've seen it all too often in my time on the job.

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