Posted on Saturday, 13th September 2008 by Glenn D. Frankovis
We often read or hear about crimes being committed by actors who have a history of criminal behavior and who may have even been on probation during the commission of the crime we’re reading/hearing about. In some cases the most recent crimes are violent in nature and would not have occurred if the suspect had been properly sentenced earlier. I have been asked to share an example with our readers of a suspect with a lengthy criminal history who has recently been arrested and charged - again. I am not attaching links to state online court records, as any interested person can check him out online for him/herself.
Dewitt D. Brown B/M 03-03-1977 is our example for discussion. A check of state online circuit court records reveals that Brown has been in the system since 1994. In July 2003 he was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Deliver; and Possession of THC (felony). After a trial in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, he was found guilty of the Firearm and Cocaine charges but the THC charge was dismissed.
It should also be noted that in September 2003, Brown had 2 charges of Felony Threats to a Witness and Bail Jumping dismissed as a result of a Defense Motion. There appears to be a drug related charge (Manufacture/Delivery Cocaine) in February, 2004 while he was awaiting sentencing. He was sentenced in June 2004 to 15 months in prison with an additional 18 months of extended supervision.
Since his release from prison, court records indicate he has been arrested for Felony Escape in Racine County; Bail Jumping in Racine County; Possession of THC earlier this year in Manitowoc County (where he was apparently set free with a future court date of 09-17-2008); and most recently arrested in August 2008 in Milwaukee County for Possession of Cocaine with intent to deliver (felony); Possession of THC; 2 counts of felony bail jumping; one count of misdemeanor bail jumping; and Habitual Criminality. His preliminary hearing has been set for 09-24-2008 08:30 am Room #146 - Criminal Justice Facility.
Except for his sentence in June 2004 for the July 2003 offenses, it would appear that no one in our Criminal Justice System at Probation/Parole, the D.A. or Circuit Court levels seems to want to go out of their way to keep Dewitt Brown in custody. The question should be asked, specifically: Why would Manitowoc and Racine Counties find it appropriate to give him Personal Recognizance (PR) Bonds after being charged with new cases? And why would Racine amend the bail DOWN on an Escape charge and then set a PR Bond for a Felony Bail Jumping charge?
An official at the Milwaukee County D.A.’s office tells BadgerBlogger off the record that technically, Dewitt Brown is a “three time loser”, meaning that his third drug felony could make him an example in federal court with a mandatory life sentence.
Average citizens are often bewildered by what they perceive is a policy of “hug-a-thug”, a “revolving door”, if you will, in our criminal justice system. It would appear that, at least where Dewitt D. Brown is concerned, perception is reality.
We can only wonder how many more Dewitt D. Browns are walking Wisconsin’s streets, free men, thanks to these practices.
I want to add one more thing. There are people working within the Criminal Justice System who are just as appalled by examples like this as the average person. This post is not meant to be an indictment on those men and women who work in the “system” and do the right thing every day, but it should raise questions about those who do not!
My thanks to Bruce who helped me with the research and editing of this post.
Posted in Home | Comments (15)
September 13th, 2008 at 4:34 am
More examples: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794242
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794236
September 13th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Unfortunately, Mr.Brown will live up to the expectation among Police Officers that he will commit homicide and which ultimately will lead to a much more lengthy sentence..maybe.
Liberal policies lead to liberal.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:11 am
sentences(was the last word above)
September 13th, 2008 at 8:22 am
My spam word is “rent” as in rent free. I have a 27 year old neighbor who lives with mom and dad rent free. He has been suspected of dealing drugs, and when I tried to report it last year to police I went on deaf ears. So a year later, another neighbor made a complaint, and it is on the record - mine is not (I still have a copy of my email to the Chief of police, since my three phone calls were never returned - I put it in writing)
This “kid” is now suspected of most of the unlocked car thefts in the community. BUT what happens when he got caught? They didn’t have enough on him so he got a ticket. He walks around the neighborhood like he owns the place, his parents asked me and the neighbors to give him a little respect because now he is going to school (he dropped out of high school) - and even though strange people come and go, but are never around when mom and dad come home on the weekends, we are suppose to be nice to him.
So far, the cops can’t get anything on him. I keep taking photos of cars and emailing plate numbers in and Labor Day morning at 4:30 a.m. they came banging on his door looking for him - he is never caught with anything.
The system sucks. The parents suck more - Our poor little baby, no one is nice to him even though he has been caught trying to get into peoples garages by the home owners.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Any wonder why I refer to the system as the Criminal (in)Justice system?
September 13th, 2008 at 8:48 am
I’ve been in positions at work where there was a mountain of work to do and I was one of the few that could deal with it. It makes you feel important and indispensable.
People like to feel that way, so why change the status quo? If they started locking the thugs up, they’d slowly, but surely, be shutting off the spigot.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Marge, unfortunately this is what a democracry is all about. The freedom to do what you will and to force the government to make a case based on liberal policies.
I believe the constitution says that this nation should be governed by a “republican government” not a DEMOCRATic one.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:45 am
That “revolving door” sure gets a lot of traffic, doesn’t it.
Some thugs really know how to work the system - will never understand why they’re allowed to get away with it, either. I know one example from my neck of the woods who has been using that door for over 30 years and never gets more than a slap on the wrist. In January of 2007 he was guilty of 9 counts of felony forgery - this is after, as mentioned, over 30 years of charges that include possession of various drugs, lots of thefts, etc. He stole checks from a disabled man and cashed them. What did the system here do? They reduced the charges down to 3 (???) and gave him a short jail sentence. He’s only been out a few months and already faces 3 more charges … theft, driving after rev and criminal damage to property. Over and over he’s listed as a “repeat offender”, yet they let him back out on the streets to just keep “repeating”.
Asinine.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Jeni, I feel for ya. I know Milwaukee is a joke (a little less so now), but the revolving door in Sheboygan spins faster than a centrifuge.
September 13th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Well said, Ron!
September 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
[...] Badger Blogger - Whats Going On In Our Criminal Justice System? [...]
September 15th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Well put Glenn, good job on the research Bruce. Dewitt is a small example of all that is wrong in our society. There are many more like him. We must hold judges and prosecutors accountable for letting these people skate. If one would check the records of those who have committed this years murders, there would be a trail to a liberal judge, a lazy prosecutor, or a bedwetting parole agent.
Keep up the good work!
September 16th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
The lazy ADA, as someone so inartfully put it, will soon be replaced by the woefully inexperienced ADA.
Please contact your legislators regarding this critical issue. Milwaukee County is basically running a triage unit now, as is, before the eight cutbacks anticipated in April 2009.
http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9014080
September 16th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
As is Outagamie County, with 8 ADAs to cover about 170,000 people.
Dane? The same.
Racine? Ditto.
Brown? Yup.
September 17th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Man up and issue your cases. Its that simple. This is a no brainer.
I agree that prosecutors have a difficult job and need to be better compensated. With the exhorbitant loans that one must take to get through law school, 48000 is about half of what the salary should be.
That does not absolve a prosecutor from half steppin their work. Charging only cases with confessions, or undercharging and no processing out of fear of losing a trial, is not acceptable. That has been the McCann way for so many years.