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Double Arrests Ignite Debate about Parole Reform in New York

A double arrest for a fatal shooting incident in Rochester has sparked discussions about the dire need for parole reform within the political landscape of New York. The alleged perpetrators, Nasezire Horton and Quentin Riviere, both aged 21, are currently behind bars at Monroe County Prison following accusations from the local police. They are alleged to have planned and executed a violent shooting on Hazelwood Terrace earlier this week that resulted in three victims.

The horrendous act involved two minor victims who fortunately, against all odds, pulled through. However, a young lady of 19 years tragically lost her life. Local law enforcement agencies are of the view that these men have been at the center of previous shooting instances in the vicinity.

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Riviere has a criminal record, with his recent violation being a parole for burglary activities. On the other hand, Horton was set free and placed under parole this year in relation to assault-related crimes. Astonishingly, Horton was apprehended again barely 3 weeks into his parole period for possession of a stolen moped, a clear violation of his parole terms.

To the surprise of many, despite this parole breach, Horton was set free after attending his parole hearing. A point of contention that has generated significant uproar amongst the public.

The former Chief of Gates Police and candidate for the state Senate, Jim VanBrederode, has voiced his distress and urged lawmakers to address the pressing issue of parole reform. He views these arrests as a continuation of a series of failures of the state’s current parole system. A system he believes should find the right equilibrium between retribution and ensuring the safety of the community.

Specifically, VanBrederode lay out his opposition against the ‘Less is More’ legislation, a parole reform act passed in 2022. He criticized this law, which primarily shields individuals charged with minor parole infractions from being imprisoned.

The question of whether the aforementioned ‘Less is More’ Act would have kept Horton and Riviere off the streets remains unanswered. While VanBrederode remained hesitant to provide a definitive response, his sentiment clearly indicated that there are additional measures that need to be enacted.

However, the argument of one-size-fits-all approach in dealing with parolees doesn’t seem to sit well with local residents, such as Edwarteescia Clark. As a mother of two, Clark emphasizes the stark disparity between truly aggressive offenders, who should certainly be detained, and those individuals striving to reintegrate into society after serving out their sentence.

In the interim, Senator Jeremy Cooney, the current holder of the 56th state Senate seat which VanBrederode is running for, came forward to defend his crime-fighting track record. A statement issued on behalf of his campaign by spokesman Andrew Cook read, ‘Since Senator Cooney’s initial election into the State Senate, he has advocated for policy modifications aimed at beefing up public safety measures and curbing local violence.’

VanBrederode took a moment during his Friday speech to express concerns over the recent legalization of marijuana and its propagation of crime. He proposed that New York has morphed into a hotspot for the illicit marijuana market.

When probed further about his statement, VanBrederode clarified that the state’s shortcomings in assigning licenses to eligible sellers have inadvertently fueled the rise of the underground marijuana trade.