Due to New York Democrats’ “bail reform” legislation, Jordan Randolph, a 40-year-old man with a lengthy criminal rap sheet, was released without bail on Monday after charged with a DWI in connection with a crash that killed 27-year-old Jonathan Armand Flores-Maldonado.
Randolph, who has a history of drunk driving, was arrested and released without bail on January 1 — 11 days before Flores-Maldonado was killed — for not having a court-ordered ignition interlock device in his car, reported News 12 Long Island.
“The prosecutor told the judge during the arraignment that he would’ve asked for a substantial amount of bail if the incident happened before Jan. 1,” the outlet noted.
When the prosecutor requested a monitoring ankle bracelet, he was shot down by the judge, again, because of the Democrats’ new bail reform legislation:
“The prosecutor then requested that an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet be put on Randolph. The judge denied the request, saying the new law does not allow him to issue the monitoring device either.”
Per News 12 Long Island, here’s a list of Randolph’s prior convictions:
- Third-degree attempted robbery in 1997, a felony
- Endangering the welfare of a child in 1998, a misdemeanor
- Second-degree assault in 1998, a felony
- Second-degree assault in 1998, a felony
- Third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in 2002, a felony
- DWI in 2011, a misdemeanor
- Seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in 2013, a misdemeanor
- DWI in 2016, an E felony
- Third-degree possession of a forged instrument in 2016, a misdemeanor
- Criminal contempt in 2017, a misdemeanor
- Seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in 2017, a misdemeanor
- DWI in 2018, a D felony
“We walked in here thinking we were gonna get some justice for Jonathan today, and we didn’t get that. And now we have someone who, unfortunately, is walking freely right now,” said the victim’s cousin, Carolyn Buiernheimer.
“It’s infuriating when a hardworking person who works to build a positive life and could be a contribution to our community is taken away. In return, we have repeating offenders who walk freely, leaving destruction in their path,” she continued.
Flores-Maldonado was pursuing a career in medicine; he was driving an Uber for extra money when he was struck and killed by Randolph.
“I just want everyone to know in our community that’s what we’re working with right now,” said Buiernheimer, noting that the victim’s family believes Randolph “may very well drink and drive again.”
“Because the way the law is now, this is a non-qualifying offense under the new statute; non-qualifying offense means you can’t hold him on monetary bail,” explained Peter H. Mayer IV, Randolph’s attorney.
WATCH:
Every New Yorker should be infuriated by this preventable tragedy. It only took 12 days for someone to get killed by someone released because of this botched bail law. How many days until @NYGovCuomo, @CarlHeastie and @AndreaSCousins fix it? pic.twitter.com/lckmBkEw1k
— Nicole Malliotakis (@NMalliotakis) January 14, 2020
As reported by The Daily Wire earlier in the month, a man charged with second degree manslaughter in connection to the murder of a 29-year-old Albany woman was released from jail after the judge overseeing the case reportedly claimed Democrats’ new “bail reform” legislation no longer allows her to keep the charged party in custody.
“Happening now: Paul Barbaritano is being released on his own recognizance,” reported Spectrum News Albany reporter Jaclyn Cangro. “He is charged with 2nd degree manslaughter in connection to the death of Nicole Jennings.”
“Barbaritano was being held at the Albany County Jail. The DA’s Office argued he made admissions that he ’caused’ Jennings’ death,” Cangro noted.
According to the reporter, the judge “repeatedly said that’s no longer the burden for bail.”
The Times-Union reported of Barbaritano, “A city man charged with second-degree manslaughter in the strangulation-and-stabbing death of a woman was released from jail Thursday under the new bail reforms that eliminated bail for that charge and most other felonies.”
Related: Man Charged With Second Degree Manslaughter RELEASED From Prison Under Democrats’ ‘Bail Reform’