A Milwaukee family whose son was killed by a motorist traveling 109 miles per hour when he struck a tree has criticized the county’s progressive district attorney, who has advocated for lower bail amounts.
On October 5, Danari Peer, age 20, was slain while travelling as a passenger in Jai’Quint McMurty’s automobile.
McMurtry had three crimes relating to gun and cocaine possession and was out on bail while he was driving the automobile, having earned a $1,000 signature bond and a $500 cash bond.
Nicole Byrd and Jackie Peer attribute their son’s death on the lenient bail practices of Democratic District Attorney John T. Chisholm.
Chisholm was elected District Attorney for Milwaukee County in 2007. Throughout his career, he has continuously advocated for lower cash bonds for offenders, similar to measures accused for contributing to the rise in crime in areas such as New York and Portland.
Darrell Brooks’s murder of a procession in Waukesha was a prominent case.
He was a convicted criminal with a history of domestic abuse accusations who was imprisoned for driving over the mother of his children days before mowing down and killing six people attending a Wisconsin city’s November celebration.
The family of Danari Peer, who was killed by a motorist travelling 109 miles per hour when he struck a tree near Milwaukee, is unhappy with the county’s liberal district attorney, who has battled for lower bail amounts throughout his entire career in office.
On October 5, Peer, age 20, was killed while traveling in the passenger seat of Jai’Quann McMurty’s (shown) automobile.
Nicole Byrd and Jackie Peer blame District Attorney John T. Chisholm’s lenient bail rules for the murder of their son.
Chisholm was elected District Attorney of Milwaukee County in 2007 and immediately began campaigning for reduced cash bonds for offenders.
In relation to the collision, McMurtry has been charged with three charges of felony bail jumping, cocaine possession, driving without a license, and second-degree reckless murder.
Thursday in Milwaukee County Court, he arrived on crutches and a wheelchair and entered a not guilty plea. The bail amount was set at $50,000, which Peer’s parents continue to think is inadequate.
Jackie Peer, Danari’s father, stated, “Within two years, he racked up six crimes and was still let to roam the streets.”
His mother, Nicole Byrd, added, ‘We are campaigning to remove catch-and-release.
This is not only retribution for our kid. This is for the community of Milwaukee.’
They think that the county must take action and have asked the Brooks victims to join them “when they are able.”
Neither Milwaukee nor the state has ever abolished cash bond, although the DA’s office advocates for lower sums.
In 2007, Chisholm asked the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Would there be a person I divert or place in a treatment program who will go out and murder someone?” You bet. Guaranteed. It is certain to occur.
It does not undermine the broader strategy.
Last year, Waukesha parade murderer Darrell Brooks remained on the loose after it was revealed he had been granted bail twice this year despite an extensive criminal history dating back to 1999.
Chisholm admitted in a statement that Brooks, 39, should not have been freed on a $1,000 bail following an alleged hit-and-run involving his girlfriend earlier this month.
On November 16, Brooks was given six life sentences after being convicted guilty of six counts of deliberate murder.
The judge added at least an additional 1,067 years to the life terms to emphasize the gravity of the acts for which she felt Brooks lacked remorse and compassion.
A circuit court jury in Waukesha, Wisconsin, convicted Brooks, age forty, guilty on October 26 of 76 felony offenses, including six counts of deliberate killing.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm (right) is an ardent proponent of bail reform who previously proposed that the state adopt San Francisco’s bail reform to eliminate cash bond for minor offenses.
Darrell Brooks Jr. is seen in his November 22 booking photo.
On November 16, Brooks was handed six life sentences after being convicted guilty of the same number of counts of deliberate murder.
The judge added at least an additional 1,067 years to the life terms to emphasize the gravity of Brooks’ acts, for which she claimed he lacked remorse and empathy.
However, Chisholm, 58, has previously boasted about allowing an organization opposed to cash bail to audit his office and has consistently stated his desire to lower the prison population in his county.
Monday, following the arrest of Brooks, Chisholm’s office issued a statement admitting that the career criminal’s bail had been set ‘inappropriately low.’
‘The bond recommendation in this instance is inconsistent with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office’s approach to situations involving violent crime, as well as the risk assessment conducted prior to establishing bail.
The statement added, “This office is presently undertaking an internal assessment of the decision to make the recent bail recommendation in this case in order to decide the future actions.”
The colossal error in the Milwaukee legal office’s handling of Brooks’ bail proceedings occurred as career prosecutor and longtime Milwaukee County DA Chisholm attempted to send fewer Wisconsin residents to prison while maintaining public safety amidst an unprecedented increase in crime in Milwaukee County.
According to the organization’s website, Chisholm enlisted the assistance of the Vera Institute of Justice, a New York-based nonprofit organization that works with leaders in government and civic settings “to enhance the services people rely on for safety and justice.”
On its website, Vera expressly rejects monetary bail. Advocates argue that the approach disproportionately punishes the poorest and leads to a disproportionate number of suspects from ethnic minorities being held in cells pending trial. However, opponents argue that the policy frequently leads to the quick release of career criminals back onto the streets, so contributing to New York City’s continuous crime surge.
Milwaukee County continues to require cash bail. However, through this collaboration with Vera, Chisholm also sought to address the prevalent racial inequities in incarcerations in the largely white county, Wisconsin being the state with the highest rate of black imprisonment in the country.
Nicholas Turner, president of the Vera Institute, praised Chisholm’s work in the 2015 New Yorker article.
He stated, “For a very long time, prosecutors have defined themselves by their conviction rates and their ability to win high-profile cases with severe punishments.” However, the data indicates that achieving safety and justice needs more than simply incarcerating someone for a long time.
In a new era, prosecutors must reassess their rightful function. Chisholm took a risk by stating that prosecutors should also be evaluated based on their performance in decreasing mass imprisonment and attaining racial equity.
According to data gathered by the Milwaukee Employment & Training Institute, more than half of all African-American men in Wisconsin between the ages of 30 and 40 had done time in state prisons.
Jackie Peer stated to CBS 58, ‘We’re not leaving. We feel compelled to continue our work to commemorate Danari and assist other families.
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