‘The Whole System Is Broken’: Former Judge Sounds Off On Memphis Crime Wave

‘The Whole System Is Broken’: Former Judge Sounds Off On Memphis Crime Wave

Harold Hutchison on September 8, 2022

A Fox News contributor sounded off Thursday about a string of violent crimes in Memphis that included a kidnapping and a series of shootings.

“I found this out when I was first a judge. I would sentence someone to x number of years and they’d be eligible for parole and I’d get the request from parole as DA and I remember saying, ‘I just sentenced that guy,’” Jeanine Pirro told the rest of the panel on “The Five.” “There’s not only no truth in sentencing in most states in this country, there’s a benefit given for good time, whatever the hell that means, like if you don’t stab or shiv your neighbor.”

WATCH:

Memphis police arrested a 19-year-old man who allegedly killed four people and injured several more Wednesday night. The alleged gunman was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted murder, in 2020, according to Fox 13.

“Now what we’ve got to understand is the criminal justice system is not just broken from the offenders being released as soon as they’re arrested, but it’s broken because of plea bargains, it’s broken because of parole, probation,” Pirro continued. “When someone is put on probation, they’re in touch with their probation officer, I’ve got news for you. What they do is if they’re lucky, they call up, the probation officer loses them, doesn’t even bother to file a violation of probation. The whole system is broken and my only question, and I’ll end with this, is how long will it take for the pendulum to swing back where it needs to be.”

The kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, a 34-year-old mother of two and kindergarten teacher, also rocked Memphis. Police arrested a suspect in the case with a prior conviction for kidnapping Monday.

“The public needs to understand, there’s some people who do not deserve to live where law-abiding people live because they have exhibited so much violence, so much disregard for the life of other people that they don’t – they shouldn’t be with us,” Pirro said.