Tyrone Howard, suspected in the fatal shooting of New York City Police Officer Randolf Holder, was formally arraigned late Wednesday and charged with murder as well as robbery.
ABC News has settled on reporting that Howard had been “previously arrested multiple times,” with other sources citing anywhere from 15 to 28 prior arrests. Most reports have settled on 18.
#BREAKING #NYPD Law enforcement sources identify suspected shooter as 30-year-old Tyrone Howard. History includes 18 priors #BlueLivesMatter
— Jodi Goldberg (@JodiGFox5NY) October 21, 2015
After 18 arrests, Tyrone Howard was still on the streets of East Harlem. So the question is, why? https://t.co/wAc0E4mISF #RandolphHolder
— N. J. Burkett (@njburkett7) October 21, 2015
One reason why is that Howard, who was busted in May for selling crack, avoided two years behind bars and was instead put through an outpatient drug-rehabilitation program. This “diversion” program is intended to reduce overcrowding in the city’s prisons. “But Howard stopped taking part in the program in May,” reports ABC7.
The New York Times reports that “Howard — a repeat drug offender who also used drugs with no admissible history of violence — was exactly the sort that diversion by a judge was designed to address.” According to the Washington Times, David Bookstaver, a spokesman for the state court system, told the Associated Press that “actually, he’s the perfect candidate in many ways” for diversion programs.
UPDATE … Tyrone Howard, cop-killing suspect, called 'perfect candidate' for drug-diversion program https://t.co/Q1cq0JDMKH
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) October 21, 2015
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton disagreed, calling Howard “a poster boy for not being diverted,” adding, “If ever there was a candidate to not have been diverted, it would be this guy.”
https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/656888139475255296
@Cameron_Gray @johncardillo Time for the families of victims of people that are on parole or repeat offenders to start suing.
— Coaxed (@PhiloFiles) October 21, 2015
https://twitter.com/CapVere/status/656918680022994944
@Cameron_Gray What the hell is a "sealed arrest?" And why is that crap allowed? And why does he have 3 of them?!?! One's enough!!
— Ally ? by Jack (@baconjayhawks) October 21, 2015
@baconjayhawks @Cameron_Gray Once a person proves unable to function in a noncriminal manner, they need to be put under the damn jail.
— Leigh?? (@MeOnAJourney) October 21, 2015
@Cameron_Gray Scumbag who shot an 11 y/o is free 6 yrs later while .@NYGovCuomo & .@BilldeBlasio aggressively disarm law abiding citizens
— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) October 21, 2015
@Cameron_Gray he should have been in prison not out in the public. Our judicial system is awful. They shouldn't have taken him alive.
— BT???????????? (@naft82) October 21, 2015
@Cameron_Gray @mt_newman But we need to keep non-violent drug offenders out of jail…
— Gracie, Chief Fun Officer ? (@nomorenightowl) October 21, 2015
That’s right. Remember President Obama’s wish list as delivered to the NAACP? If he could just eliminate incarcerations, the money saved could pay for universal pre-K for every 3- and 4-year-old in America, double the salary of every high school teacher, and eliminate tuition at every public college and university. He also said he would restore Pell grants to federal and state prisoners.
… none of which helps Officer Holder or his family now.
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