'You bet, my bail reforms will kill people': Shocking 2007 admission of woke Waukesha DA John Chisolm who GUARANTEED innocent people would be murdered by the killers he sets free - like woman, 26, injected by drug dealer and Christmas parade victims
- Milwaukee County DA John Chisolm said in 2007: 'Is there going to be an individual I divert, or put into a program, who's going to go out and kill? You bet'
- In 2013, his office gave a deferred prosecution to a convicted drug dealer
- That dealer, after being released, fatally injected a 26 year old woman with heroin then tried to hide her body but was caught
- On November 11, his office granted Darrell Brooks a $1,000 bond
- Brooks went free and within a few weeks, was behind the wheel of his car again
- Five people were murdered when he drove through the Christmas parade
- Chisolm admitted Brooks' bail was 'inappropriately low' and a review is being conducted
- There are mounting calls for him to resign, with many saying the victims' blood is on his hands
The Waukesha District Attorney whose office let out parade killer Darrell Brooks on a $1,000 bond three weeks ago previously admitted he knew his laxed bail reform would lead to killers being set free and murdering others, saying flippantly in a 2007 interview: 'You bet, it's guaranteed to happen.'
John Chisolm was elected as Milwaukee County District Attorney in 2007 and he immediately started advocating for lower cash bonds for criminals, like Brooks - a felon with a history of domestic violence charges who was most recently locked up for running over the mother of his children.
In 2007, Chisolm told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Is there going to be an individual I divert, or I put into treatment program, who's going to go out and kill somebody? You bet. Guaranteed. It's guaranteed to happen.
'It does not invalidate the overall approach.'
His shamefaced office, which yesterday admitted they'd set an 'inappropriately low' bond amount for Brooks, has not commented on the resurfaced interview in light of Sunday's atrocity.
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisolm (right) is an enthusiastic bail reform advocate who previously suggested the state should replicate San Francisco's bail reform to do away with cash bond on minor crimes
His premonition came true in 2013 when convicted drug dealer Jeremiah Schroeder, 35, was let out on a deferred prosecution and injected a fatal dose of heroin into Cassandra Lutz, a 26-year-old woman.
Schroeder was caught trying to move her dead body afterwards and was put back in prison.
Chisolm's office has not commented on the resurfaced interview or on his role in the tragedy.
After being elected, he sought to send fewer Wisconsin residents to prison while maintaining public safety - amid an unprecedented influx of crime in Milwaukee County.
To combat the crime wave, Chisolm enlisted the help of the Vera Institute of Justice, a New York-based nonprofit group that works with leaders in government and civil settings 'to improve the services people rely on for safety and justice,' according to the organization's website.
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Its website explicitly says that Vera opposes cash bail.
Advocates say the measure unfairly penalizes the poorest, and results in disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority suspects in jails awaiting trial.
But opponents say the measure often results in career criminals being immediately released back onto the streets to commit more offenses, with the measure partially-blamed for NYC's ongoing crime spike.
In 2013, convicted drug dealer Jeremiah Schroeder was allowed out on a deferred prosecution. He was a known heroin dealer and the judge in the case said Milwaukee was going through a 'heroin epidemic' but he was allowed out and within a year, he killed 26-year-old Cassandra Lutz by injecting her with heroin at a concert. He then tried to hide her body
Chisolm is firmly opposed to cash bail. He previously said the county should replicate San Francisco in its approach to it, despite escalating crime
Darrell Brooks Jr, 39, killed five people and injured 48 on Sunday night by plowing through crowds at the Christmas parade while fleeing a domestic dispute. Brooks was unrepentant, ditched his car afterwards and even walked up to a Good Samaritan's home, pretending to be homeless and asking for a sandwich. He is now in custody on five murder charges.
Chisolm's office agreed to a $1,000 bond for Darrell Brooks on November 11th, despite him being held on charges including felony bail jumping and domestic violence.
The judge who granted Brooks' bail on November 11 is a former Assistant District Attorney, Michelle Havas. She has not commented on the decision yet
He was let out and within a few days, was behind the wheel of his Ford again.
He plowed through crowds at the Christmas parade on Sunday night, killing five adults and injuring 48 people, including two children.
Brooks was unrepentant, ditched his car afterwards and even walked up to a Good Samaritan's home, pretending to be homeless and asking for a sandwich.
He is now in custody on five murder charges.
The families of the victims have not yet indicated whether they plan to file any form of legal action against the city or the state of Wisconsin for letting Brooks out of jail on such a low bond.
There is however growing public outrage over the decision.
Many on Tuesday morning laid the blame for the tragedy with Chisolm and the judge who granted the bail, Michelle A. Havas.
She has not yet commented.
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