DA Mulroy Issues Statement On Program to Tackle Racial Disparities

“Asked about racial disparities at a forum last week, I said we were considering an as-yet-unformed alternative approach for nonviolent felons charged with possession of a weapon.  It wasn’t a formal program or policy, but just allowing prosecutors case-by-case discretion for nonviolent defendants who’d never used a gun and who seemed reformable.  However, after looking at the number of cases that qualify, I realize it would only be a handful of cases—not enough to help with racial disparities.  In light of that, and the concern I’ve heard from some (though by no means all) members of the public, I’ve decided not to pursue this idea. We’ll continue to work on ways to address racial disparities and continue to focus on violent crime. “

-DA Steve Mulroy