The administrative director of the New Jersey judiciary says a bill pending in the Legislature should scale back the changes planned for gun defendants.
Advocates are pushing for passage of a newly proposed law that would make pretrial detention the default process for people who commit crimes while in possession of a firearm, and those who are charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Gov. Chris Christie defended the reforms that have practically eliminated bail in New Jersey and said he looks forward to the state doing the same in court.
Under the changes prosecutors would be encouraged to seek detention for people accused of serious gun crimes, those with a history of being a sex offender, as well as those already on parole or on pre-trial release for another crime.
New Jersey’s bail reforms are likely to be modified by month’s end, to increase the likelihood defendants with a history of weapons offenses are detained until trial.