INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter is calling for a complete review of the Marion County criminal justice system.
Carter said Thursday it’s just not working.
The superintendent’s frustration boiled over two weeks ago after a triple-fatal car crash on east side. The driver charged in the crash, Luis Leyba-Gonzalez, was released from jail on bond.
Carter says Marion County needs to realign the bail matrix.
He says the law enforcement profession has never been in a lower place.
“No matter what we do, we’re wrong, and we’re guilty ’til we prove ourself innocent,” said Carter. “Guys like me should be the ones held accountable for inappropriate actions by the rank and file. I make every attempt to do that and be as transparent as I can. We are human beings. We are not machines. We are dealing with death, dying, destruction, hurt, pain and sorrow every single day. Every single day, and we need the system to support what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Carter is also calling for a review of the staff shortages at the Marion County Jail, the prosecutor’s office and the county courts.
Last week, leadership at the local Fraternal Order of Police agreed with Carter’s assessment.
“He didn’t just say the system is broken. He said the system is broken so bad that it actually threatens our civilized society,” said Rick Snyder, president of Indy FOP. “Nobody can get around that anymore. Our local officials and our state officials can’t shrug that off and look the other way anymore.”
Snyder said the FOP has been calling for changes in the judicial system and the so-called “revolving door” for years. He said this specific case is the tipping point.
“This is the point we are making is that victims, families of victims, officers in our community as a whole deserve better,” Snyder said. “Officers are sick and tired of arresting the same people over and over again, and here is why. They have to risk their lives over and over again to do that.”
At the same time, the Indianapolis Bar Association is defending the judge’s decision, saying, “The statements of Superintendent Carter are inaccurate, mischaracterize the judiciary and the Marion County criminal justice system, and are counterproductive to the goal of public safety.”
Katie Jackson-Lindsay, a defense attorney and member of the IndyBar, said Carter’s comments didn’t catch the association off-guard because of the criticism, but because of the inaccuracy. She said judges can’t respond to comments or accusations like this, so the IndyBar did so on their behalf.
“It was jarring to us as a group of attorneys because it was unfair criticism of Judge Harrison, quite frankly, and to some extent, misleading criticism of Judge Harrison and her decision,” Jackson-Lindsay said.
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