Brampton Mayor Brown wants dangerous offenders to stay in jail through pandemic

At a conference on August 5, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown argued that coronavirus shouldn't be a factor when judges award bail for those accused of firearm related or violent offences, Brampton Guardian reports.

In the same news conference, Brown commented on the alleged murder of Darian Hailey Henderson-Bellman by her ex-partner, Darnell Reid.

This is an egregious example of our justice system failing that young lady, said Mayor Brown. "[The suspect] was arrested for having a firearm and they let him back out again just recently. It’s unimaginable and so I want to continue advocating for this bail reform."

"The individual, who has now been charged with murder, breached his [bail] release on four different occasions. On the fifth, it was too late." Despite objection from the crown and his breaching of bail conditions, including contacting the victim following an earlier alleged domestic assault, he was still released.

The last time he was in prison, he spent only six days in custody. Even after regularly ignoring his conditions of release, he continued to possess illegal firearms when he was released back into the community, police chief Nishan Duraiappah told reporters.

"What I’m hearing more recently is even more worrisome," said Brown. "In my opinion, regardless of COVID, if you’re a dangerous offender you should be behind bars," Brown told reporters.

Patrick Brown's comments come after Public Safety Minister Bill Blair asked the federal prison service and the parole board to look at early release for some offenders to prevent the spread of coronavirus behind bars.

The call to keep violent offenders in prison comes during increased backlash over a decision in Maryland, USA. A violent criminal was released early (due to coronavirus concerns in prisons) and murdered an elderly man.