Thread by @LisaMiddlemanDA

Had the remainder of protester charges not been withdrawn yesterday, our ad hoc team of attorneys would be in court today, on a #JuneteenthDay that feels especially monumental this year.

Instead, we can use today to celebrate the progress that has been achieved for our Black neighbors while educating ourselves and demanding change, especially related to police brutality and misconduct.

We also need to examine *and fix* the vast racial inequities in our "justice" system that fails to keep us save, but especially fails our communities of color (specifically Black communities).

Let's start with cash bail. "The magistrate judges who arraigned the protesters set bail amounts that varied significantly — from releasing them on their own recognizance to requiring a $10,000 percentage bond, meaning they would have to post $1,000."

post-gazette.com/news/crime-cou…

Same charges. Same background. Same home county (Allegheny). Different bail. and... " “They don’t have to justify or give a reason why they set bail,” Ms. Stock said."

There's a few ways to address that. At the state level, we can eliminate money/cash bail as an option. Locally, we can elect magistrates who refuse to use it.

From the DA's perspective, here are a few proposals for what we can do now without state/local changes.

A magistrate still makes the decision, but the District Attorney's office can work *with* the Public Defender's office to convince magistrates not to assign cash bail. Parts of our justice system can work *together* to promote equity and public safety.

But sometimes pieces should be separate. For example: police brutality and criminal misconduct.

Because of subpoena power, local charges have to be brought through the DA's office. But... the DA's office has to work with police officers every day to bring charges.

You cannot reasonably expect anybody to have a positive working relationship with those they are criminally investigating and prosecuting.

There's a lot more on that, especially related to community input and change in Harrisburg, but here's what could happen right now... today:

That first part is obvious. Create a separate fire-walled unit to investigate police officers suspected of criminal activity. Impartial and independent. Doesn't solve for the inherent conflict of interest w/ DA, but it's an immediate action now that substantially reduces it.

If that fire-walled unit decides not to prosecute or if there's any potential of conflict of interest, then send it to the Attorney General's office. Get it out of the local DA's control, especially if you're not going to invest resources to call your own use-of-force expert #J4A

There are racial inequities in how cases are investigated and prosecuted. Black victims, communities, and cases don't get the same attention. Resources get provided to white communities with elected officials who provide political support.

There's a lot more we can to do address the racial inequities in our justice system in the 2019 platform, but also, there's a lot more we can do that's not in this DA-specific platform. And community input is key to all of that.
lisamiddleman.com/platform

This thread was in no way comprehensive, nor is the platform, but this #JuneteenthDay, we hope everybody ( especially non-Black people) takes a moment to consider how systemic racism is embedded in our justice system, government, and everyday life.