New York Set to Free Thousands from Jail Because Primarily Non-White Criminals Can’t Pay Cash Bail

g the inevitable non-white future of New York and the United States. [Ending bail reform: Why some NY Republicans lawmakers want the law tossed, Democrat and Chronicle, December 19, 2019]:

ALBANY – Senate Republican leaders on Thursday again called on the Legislature to address growing concerns surrounding a series of criminal justice reforms set to take effect come the new year.

Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan contended the reforms — set to take effect Jan. 1 — will endanger the public and place another unfunded mandate on communities at a time when the state is facing at least a $6.1 billion deficit.

“At the end of the day, we don’t believe these changes in the law are going to keep people safer,” Flanagan, R-Suffolk County, said at an Albany press conference.

The reforms will end cash-bail for most non-violent felonies and misdemeanors and revamp the state’s discovery process, requiring prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to turn over evidence to the defendant within 15 days after arraignment.

“We think our society and walking about the streets are going to be bigger challenges then it was before,” Flanagan said.

Senate Republicans, he said, will likely make concerns surrounding the reforms a key issue in next year’s election when all 63 seats in the chamber are on the ballot.

Democrats hold 40 of the seats, and eight of the 23 current Senate Republicans have declined to run for re-election in 2020.

Joining Flanagan were the Deputy Minority Leader in the state’s Senate, Joesph Griffo, and Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino, who spoke on behalf of the state’s Sheriff’s Association.

Republicans, law enforcement officials and district attorney’s across the state have for months criticized the reforms and want a moratorium on their implementation.

They have argued that they should have a greater opportunity to weigh in and give counties additional time to prepare.

https://www.dcclothesline.com/2019/12/25/new-york-set-to-free-thousands-from-jail-because-primarily-non-white-criminals-cant-pay-cash-bail/

Comedy group behind Netflix’s ‘gay Jesus’ special firebombed in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro headquarters of the Brazilian comedy group Porta Dos Fundos has been attacked with Molotov cocktails. The incident comes weeks after it released a controversial movie, depicting Jesus as gay.

“In the early morning of December 24, on Christmas Eve, the headquarters of Porta dos Fundos was the victim of an attack. Molotov cocktails were thrown at our building,” the comedy group confirmed.

The fire was promptly contained by a security guard and no one was injured, yet the incident endangered “several innocent lives in the office and in the street,” it said.

A handful of photos, circulating online, purportedly show damage that the studio sustained – and it appears to be very minor.

The comedians fell short from pointing fingers, yet implied the incident might be linked with the massive scandal, caused by their Netflix special ‘The First Temptation of Christ.’

The movie was released a few weeks ago, causing an uproar among Christians in Brazil and elsewhere. The episode depicts an apparently gay Jesus Christ bringing what appears to be his boyfriend to his birthday party and introducing him to the Holy Family. The episode includes other jokes a Christian faithful might find offensive as well, including Virgin Mary smoking pot and indulging into a love affair with God himself.

Brazil has a very large Catholic community – and many were offended by the movie, yet, before the Molotovs incident – if it is indeed linked to the show - the outrage did not go beyond angry social media posting and online petitions. One of the petitions has attracted over 2 million supporters, who demanded Netflix to take the offensive episode down. The media giant, however, has not reacted to the controversy.

The scandal around ‘The First Temptation of Christ’ invoked reaction of the Brazil President son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, who took to Twitter to call the movie a piece of “garbage,” stating that the comedians “do not represent Brazilian society.” His father, Jair Bolsonaro, has repeatedly expressed anti-LGBT views, and even called himself a “proud” homophobe.

https://www.rt.com/news/476830-comedy-gay-jesus-molotov-attack/

Israeli aircraft strike Gaza after rocket attack near Netanyahu event

IDF confirms it hit several Hamas sites in retaliatory raid after PM warns that whoever was behind missile fired toward Ashkelon should ‘start packing their things’

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-reportedly-strikes-gaza-after-rocket-attack-forces-netanyahu-retreat/

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201912261077859220-israeli-defence-forces-say-struck-hamas-targets-in-response-to-rocket-fired-from-gaza/