Legislator says her anti-crime measures being ignored

[February 18, 2022]  By Kevin Bessler

(The Center Square) – An Illinois lawmaker is accusing Democrats of stifling a package of anti-crime legislation prompted by the shooting death of a Bradley police officer and the wounding of her partner.

Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe is seeking life sentences for 25-year-old Darius Sullivan and 26-year-old Xandria Harris, who face a number of felony charges in December's hotel shooting that killed Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic and critically wounded her partner.

“But the more we know about this story, the worse it gets,” state Rep. Jackie Haas, R-Kankakee, said “We have learned that the person who shot sergeant Rittmanic and officer Bailey is a habitual offender.”

Haas said Sullivan has been charged with crimes more than 40 times in seven years.

House Bill 4808 would create the offense of a habitual misdemeanant. If a person has three or more pending charges for misdemeanor domestic battery, battery, violation of an order of protection, or criminal damage to property of a family or household member, then that defendant may be charged as a habitual misdemeanant offender.

House Bill 4684 would change a SAFE-T Act requirement that a detained person must be brought to trial within 90 days. Passed last year, the SAFE-T Act includes reforms aimed at improving police accountability while addressing calls for more equity in the justice system to address mass incarcerations. Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe said 90 days is too soon and agrees with extending it to 120 days.

“That law is setting up the perfect storm for defendants to be released back into the community, and is also setting up the perfect storm potentially for people to be wrongfully convicted,” Rowe said.

He added the State Police Crime Lab often takes longer than 90 days to process DNA evidence.
 

Two other measures involve penalties for domestic violence strangulation and the taking of a police officer’s body camera to avoid arrest.

Haas said thus far, House Democrats are holding up the measures and she is dumbfounded as to why.

“No, I have not been given any explanation as to why these bills have not been called,” Haas said. “It’s extremely frustrating.”