Local officials react to rejected violent crime legislation

SALISBURY, Md. – Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said, “It’s another slap in the face by Maryland lawmakers in Annapolis.”

Deputy State’s Attorney William McDermott said, “It’s absolutely insane that the legislature would reject such common sense solutions.”

Local public officials have some choice words for state lawmakers after they voted down an amendment that would have made it tougher on repeat violent offenders.

The amendment would have added Governor Larry Hogan’s Repeat Firearms offender act to existing legislation and the move to strike it down had the governor firing back.

Saying on Facebook “It is absolutely unbelievable that the legislature once again rejected our proposal for tougher sentences for repeat violent offenders.”

He also said, “This proposal would get the criminals off our streets and behind bars where they belong.”

The amendment would have changed law so that those who use a gun to repeatedly commit a violent crime would have serve a minimum sentence of 10 years.

Those who were against it have gone on record saying they voted against the proposal because they feel more jail time isn’t the answer and that the focus should be on criminal rehabilitation instead.

It’s something Sheriff Lewis, Governor Hogan and others disagree with.

Sheriff Lewis said, “Certainly there are some who are being rehabilitated but there are many others who refuse to obey the law who would never be anything else other than a menace in our society.”

McDermott also said, “Understanding that we have our fair share of violent crime, these bills were aimed at reducing not just the recidivism but future violence caused by these criminals if they are not locked up.”