Indianapolis council is thinking about hiring attorneys to combat gun crime

Indianapolis, Indiana – Three attorneys’ salaries will be covered by a $225,000 contribution from the Indianapolis City-County Council. They will work on a special team with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce gun crimes in Indianapolis while being paid and employed by the city.

“When federal charges are filed pretrial release options are not available,” said Rick Synder of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Three attorneys are anticipated to represent the county’s most violent serial gun offenders if the City-County Council approves this proposal. The mayor and council were praised for their action by the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police.

“When we arrest somebody for a state gun charge and the local Marion County court system cycles them right back out into the neighborhoods with a low bond, even if they are a repeat violent offender. That does not happen at the federal level,” Synder said.

Former federal prosecutor Mayor Hogsett stated last week that federal charges will result in criminals being removed from the streets for a longer amount of time than state ones. According to Synder, persons charged of crimes involving firearms are frequently denied bail at the federal level and must serve the majority of their term behind bars.

According to Snyder, the Marion County courts have intentionally turned into a revolving door for offenders, which has contributed to the increase in gun crimes.

“And then the next thing we know we have a retribution shooting, a retribution killing, or a new offense that has occurred. And then the worst part is, many times that suspect because they were out on pretrial release now become the last victim of violence which could not have happened if they were still locked up,” Synder said.

Five more posts would be funded by the council at the request of the Indianapolis police union and assigned to the US Attorney’s Office. Snyder claims that Indianapolis’s gun violence cases have previously overburdened that office.

I-Team 8 received a statement from Indianapolis-based U.S. attorney Zach Myers.

“Federal prosecution of the most serious offenses is a vital tool in the fight against violent crimes. Our new partnership with the City of Indianapolis will enhance our ability to hold accountable those who are driving gun violence in our neighborhoods.” Zach Myers, U.S. attorney

The City-Council Administration and Finance Committee is anticipated to hear the idea on Tuesday night before bringing it to the whole council for a vote.