Washington, DC, got off to a violent start at the beginning of 2023, with crime rates rattling the city as Democrat leaders failed to push consequences.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves declined to prosecute 67 percent of criminals arrested by police officers in 2022.
In an interview with Left-wing Washington Post, Graves defended his leniency on the criminals, giving excuses such as unaccredited crime labs and police body-camera footage leading to severe scrutiny.
Most cases not prosecuted involve gun and possession and burglary charges, which have increased by 22 percent.
"The bottom line is that it creates the impression that this is an across-the-board decrease in the number of cases we bring. That is simply not true," Graves said. However, according to D.C. crime statistics, sex abuse cases are up 110 percent. Homicides have spiked 19 percent, property crime is up 27 percent, and motor vehicle theft is up 108 percent.
Graves attempted to explain the declining prosecution rates, saying that police officers have been wearing body cameras to secure more information at the charging state to asses if sufficient evidence could potentially be used in court.
Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said prosecutors are less willing to bring a case to court if they have doubts about witnesses.
"Those are often the very individuals who witness such crimes. We can't pick our witnesses, especially in neighborhoods where these crimes happen. I wish we could have boy and girl scouts as witnesses, but that's often just not the case," Contee said.
Despite Graves's claims, Contee insisted that his officers were not to blame for the lack of prosecutions.
"I can promise you, it's not MPD holding the bag on this," Contee told the Washington Post. "That's B.S.," adding that he believes every person they arrest should be off the streets for good.
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