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If you're standing up there with moms, clergy, community leaders, it would
be quite the compelling plea. Especially if you combine your plea with an
explanation of how you are personally changing things and ramping up your
office's efforts.

To state the callous/political/obvious: this has the potential to place
yourself in position to shoulder most of the blame in 1/2/4 years if nothing
changes.
Then again, you're the AG. If crime goes down, you'll get the credit no
matter what. And if it goes up, you'll get the blame. And if your
constituents can't count on you to stand up in times of crisis, who can they
depend on?


On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 10:16 PM, Beau <261penn@gmail.com> wrote:

> Fact -- In Wilmington there were three homicides (and potentially a fourth
> victim who is in critical condition) in 10 days. Two of these have been in
> broad day light, one in a stable neighborhood and the other on a was used
> basketball court under 95. One of victims was wheel chair bound from a
> previous gun shoot wound.
>
> Fact -- we are on pace to break last years record of 27 homicides.
>
> Fact -- Approx 60 people were in and around the basketball court. Police
> arrived in 3 minutes. No on was willing to cooperate with them on the scene
> -- no one. (some have since but only after the fact)
>
> Fact -- Such non cooperation is increasingly the rule and not the
> exception. It has gotten much worse even since beginning the job in 07.
> The relationship between law enforcement and the community is, to a large
> extent, broken.
>
> Fact -- Non cooperation has become a serious impediment to the successful
> investigation and prosecution of homicides (and all other violent crimes.)
>
> Fact -- No elected/appointed leader, other then a brief vigil on good
> Friday (before the most recent homicide) by a loan city councilman and some
> clergy, has spoken up or out about these murders. Not the Mayor, not the
> chief, not press of council -- no one. In most cities of this size, the
> Mayor, DA, or Chief would be appropriately before the microphones at the
> scene of these tragedies at least expressing the righteous indignation of
> the community, empathy for the victims, and a desire to see that justice is
> done.
>
> To that end, I think I should have a press conference soon at the scene of
> one of these homicides to express some version of the above sentiments, as
> well as a plea for help from the community itself. Specifically, I think I
> should make direct appeal for their cooperation and participation in our
> efforts. I should make it clear that I understand that non cooperation on
> the part of some is born out of a legitimate fear of retribution or lack of
> faith in our ability to actually get justice or do justice or some
> variations of both. Make it clear though that these crimes will likely go
> unsolved or on prosecutable without their participation and help.
>
> My thought (actually the head of my victims unit) is to then let several
> mothers of young male homicide victims make a similar plea on behalf of
> their sons, whose murders remain at large in spite of many witnesses being
> present (we have such cases). I could be flanked by clergy and law
> enforcement etc.
>
> You get the picture.
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
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--

Alexander Snyder-Mackler
(302) 598-867