On Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) held a press event in Houston, Texas to promote bail reform.
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00:00Thank y'all for being with us here today. I'm joined by Rania, who is, what's your title? CEO. There it is right there. CEO of Crime Stoppers. And I've got to tell you, I work on these Crime Stopper-based issues or anti-crime issues, fighting back against crime across the state of Texas. The point is this. I don't know of anybody anywhere in the state of Texas that does more to address violent repeat crime.
00:30than Rania does. Unfortunately, as we're going to hear from stories today, there's a high volume of violent repeat crime in Harris County, Texas.
00:41We've got people in this room who are victims of that crime, who are sick and tired of it. They're tired of the environment that we're in right now.
00:47They have every expectation that something's going to be done to address this out-of-control, repeat violent crime in Harris County, Texas.
01:00But we would not have the capabilities of being able to do all that without people like Rania and Crime Stoppers.
01:11I'm going to introduce Chuck Cook later, who is one of many family members here, who has lost a loved one because of violent crime, repeat offenders, and all kinds of problems.
01:30We have some judges with us here today, local leaders, obviously, so you can see law enforcement, which I very much appreciate being here.
01:37The challenge we're dealing with today is not a law enforcement-based challenge.
01:42This is a judicial problem, a problem with our judges, and a problem with the Constitution, as I will get to here in a second.
01:50We're here today to tackle what should be a bipartisan issue, a non-partisan issue.
02:00It's a common-sense issue of public safety, and that is fixing the deadly and broken bail system that lists dangerous criminals right back out onto our streets.
02:14We're joined today by a lot of families who lost loved ones or had a loved one assaulted by a criminal that was released on either easy bail or, in fact, no bail at all.
02:30Most of the people I've heard stories from here today, they had a loved one killed, many times by a repeat criminal, arrested even for murder before, and sometimes let out on PR, personal recognizance bonds, roaming the streets, only to murder again, losing their loved one.
02:54The stories shared today are heartbreaking.
02:59Everybody in Texas, especially decision-makers, must hear these stories and respond to them in ways that correct the legal system in the state of Texas.
03:11The fact is that activist judges in Harris County are protecting, protecting dangerous criminals instead of the innocent people they victimize.
03:25Since 2019, just in the Houston area alone, there are over 200 cases of dangerous criminals let out on low-cash or no-cash bonds only to see them kill an innocent Texan.
03:41One of the many Harris County horror stories involves Jesse Leal.
03:48Leal was a career criminal with 16 different mugshots for 16 different crimes.
03:57Despite this rap sheet, a Harris County judge let Leal out on a personal recombinous bond.
04:04Free once again, Leal murdered his wife in front of their very own children.
04:11The woman was slaughtered in Texas State Representative Anna Hernandez's district.
04:19Local state representatives like Alma Allen and Armando Wally also have tragic cases like this in their house districts.
04:27To ensure crimes like this do not happen again,
04:31We need those state representatives to work with us on tougher bail policies that I'm proposing today.
04:40Another horrific story involves Austin Collette from Harris County.
04:47Collette was charged with murder, charged with murder, and he pled guilty to that charge.
04:54While he was awaiting sentencing, the confessed murderer was let out on bail by Harris County Judge Hillary Unger.
05:06Three months later, this confessed murderer, let out by Judge Unger, murdered his 21-year-old girlfriend.
05:17The woman was slaughtered in Representative Jolanda Jones' district in Harris County.
05:25Representative Jones should also support these tougher bail policies that I'm seeking to make sure crimes, murders like this,
05:33don't happen in her district anymore.
05:35And you're going to hear more here shortly about Rosalie Cook.
05:42But I've just got to summarize it this way.
05:46She was stabbed to death by a criminal with more than 60 convictions,
05:51who after those 60 convictions was on two felony PR bonds
05:56at the time that he murdered this man's mother.
06:02However, these are not isolated incidents.
06:07Hundreds of Texans have been murdered by violent criminals
06:12who have been previously arrested and released on easy bail.
06:16That is why I made bail reform an emergency item this session.
06:22Judges have far too much discretion to set easy bail on dangerous criminals.
06:28To be clear, this isn't a left or right-based issue.
06:35This is a public safety issue.
06:40To fix the broken bail system,
06:45which, by the way, so you'll understand the context,
06:48bail in Texas is different than it is in other states.
06:51Bail in Texas is put into the Constitution itself.
06:55To change the bail system requires changing the Constitution.
07:00To fix the Constitution and to fix the broken bail system,
07:04we need to amend the Constitution to do several things.
07:08One, judges must automatically deny bail
07:14for violent crimes like murder, rape, and human trafficking
07:17unless there is clear and convincing evidence
07:20that the defendant will appear in court
07:22and not endanger the community.
07:25This shifts the burden for repeat violent criminals
07:28to prove that they are not a danger to the community
07:31before they're released.
07:34Second, judges who release violent criminals on easy bail
07:38must explain their decision to the public in writing
07:42so that they can be held accountable by the public.
07:47Third, prosecutors must have the right to appeal
07:52a judge's questionable bond decision
07:55so a court of appeals can quickly return that dangerous criminal
08:00back behind bars where they belong.
08:02The fact is that too many judges grant repeat offenders
08:07second, third, even sixteenth chances
08:12that they don't deserve.
08:15State representatives must fix that
08:17by passing this constitutional amendment.
08:21Lawmakers have to choose.
08:25Are they going to support the safety
08:27of the citizens they represent
08:30or the criminals who kill them?
08:34Next is Rania.
08:37Thank you, Governor Abbott.
08:38It's an honor for you to be here.
08:40I'm Rania Mancario, CEO of Crime Stoppers of Houston.
08:43We also have some other elected officials
08:45in the room with us today.
08:47Harris County judges, Aaron Burdett,
08:49Lori D'Angelo, Emily DiToto,
08:52Dan Simons, Caroline Dozier,
08:53Peyton Peebles.
08:54We formerly had, previously had a Harris County Sheriff,
08:57Ed Gonzalez.
08:58Representatives from the Harris County District Attorneys,
09:01Sean Teer's office,
09:02Harris County Precinct 3,
09:03Commissioner Tom Ramsey's office,
09:05and Harris County Precinct 4,
09:07Constable Mark Herman's office.
09:08We are all here today,
09:09and thank you for being with us as well.
09:12We also want to thank the families.
09:13There are many families around us,
09:15and we're here because of you,
09:16because of your stories.
09:19Today we gather to acknowledge
09:21a system that's failed,
09:22to recognize lives taken too soon,
09:25and to demand reforms that are, quite frankly,
09:27overdue and critical to protect the safety
09:30and future of every Texan.
09:32As many of you know, since 2018,
09:34Crime Stoppers of Houston has been tracking
09:36the number of Harris County residents
09:39allegedly killed by defendants on felony bond.
09:43As our research and tracking grew,
09:45our team eventually launched
09:46the Glenda Gordy Research Center.
09:49And at the request of Senator Joan Huffman and others,
09:51the Center continued to monitor bond practices
09:54in Harris County.
09:56Governor, our findings were alarming.
09:59Between January 1st, 2021,
10:01and December 31st, 2024,
10:04162 homicide cases were filed against defendants
10:08who were released on one or more bonds
10:11at the time of the offense.
10:13These are not just statistics.
10:16These are numbers that represent real people,
10:18mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children,
10:23peoples whose lives were violently
10:24and tragically cut short.
10:26They include the stories of Rosalie Cook,
10:28an 80-year-old grandmother
10:31who was fatally stabbed by a man
10:33with more than 65 prior convictions
10:36yet out on two felony PR bonds.
10:39Chernequa Banks,
10:41a young mother of a three-year-old
10:42who was allegedly murdered
10:43by a defendant already on parole
10:45for a violent offense
10:46yet who was granted a PR bond
10:49for a new felony charge.
10:51Joshua Sandoval,
10:53a son and brother who was murdered
10:55by a defendant who,
10:56at the time of the offense,
10:58had active felony bonds
11:00totaling $1.65 million
11:03across three counties.
11:06These tragedies are not isolated.
11:09In fact,
11:10our list now includes
11:11over 212 people
11:13allegedly killed
11:14since we began tracking in 2018.
11:18This, as I said, is alarming,
11:20and it represents a growing pattern,
11:22a crisis, as you called, chaos,
11:24where violent repeat offenders
11:27are given bond after bond
11:29with devastating consequences
11:31for innocent families and communities.
11:34For everyone here today,
11:36this is a legislative process.
11:38Yes, it is.
11:39But it must rise above the politics.
11:43For everyone here today,
11:45this is about public safety
11:47and ensuring that our judicial system
11:49protects the law-abiding citizen
11:51while upholding the fundamental principles
11:54of justice and accountability.
11:57Bond practices must be rooted
11:59in a balanced approach
12:00that weighs the rights of the accused
12:02alongside the undeniable rights
12:05of the public to be safe.
12:06When an individual has demonstrated
12:09a repeated propensity for violence,
12:12when they have forfeited bond after bond,
12:15when their release poses a threat
12:16to the community,
12:17the system must have the tools
12:20and the will to intervene.
12:23Because a system
12:24that creates an opportunity
12:26for Houston grandparents
12:28to be stabbed to death
12:29when they're simply buying greeting cards
12:32at a Walgreens is broken.
12:34A system that also creates opportunities
12:38for young men and women
12:40to commit crime after crime after crime
12:43is also broken.
12:46This current system victimizes literally everyone.
12:52Crime Stoppers of Houston
12:53stands firmly in support
12:55of common-sense bond reform
12:56that prioritizes public safety,
12:59restores judicial discretion,
13:01and brings much-needed transparency
13:03and accountability to the process.
13:06We also call on every leader,
13:08policymaker, and community member
13:10not to hijack this issue
13:14or stall progress.
13:16Instead, collaborate,
13:19despite differences,
13:21in a true effort to find solutions.
13:24Because we know that working together
13:26makes a difference.
13:27Governor, in the 86th Texas Legislative Session,
13:30you made Senate Bill 6,
13:32the Damon-Allen Act, a priority.
13:34The Act would prohibit
13:36defendants charged with certain violent crimes
13:38from receiving a PR bond.
13:41Crime Stoppers of Houston
13:42worked with over 5,300 concerned Houstonians
13:46who signed petitions
13:47and worked alongside
13:49a bipartisan Senate
13:51in support of Senate Bill 6.
13:54Senate Bill 6 was enacted into law
13:56in December of 2021,
13:58and we are proud to share
13:59that there has been an 84% decrease
14:03in the number of Harris County residents
14:05allegedly killed by defendants
14:07out on multiple felony PR bonds
14:10when you compare 2021 to 2024.
14:13This significant decrease
14:15successfully correlates
14:16to the work of all those
14:18within the criminal justice system
14:19when we're willing to work together.
14:21Together, we must build a system
14:23that values life,
14:24that protects communities,
14:27and that refuses to allow
14:29violent offenders
14:30to cycle endlessly
14:31through a broken, revolving door.
14:33We are committed
14:34to doing whatever it takes
14:36to that end
14:36and to standing alongside
14:38all of you
14:39as victim families,
14:40who as one victim family
14:42has said,
14:43you all ultimately
14:44served the life sentence
14:45and living life
14:47with the loss of a loved one.
14:48We're here and committed
14:49to do whatever it takes.
14:51Thank you, Governor.
14:51Thank you, Rania.
14:52Thank you, Prime Stoppers.
14:53Now for Chuck Cook.
14:56Thank you, Rania,
14:58and Governor Abbott.
15:00I am honored to be here today
15:02to lend a voice
15:04to the victims
15:05all across the state of Texas
15:07and especially here
15:07in Harris County.
15:09But, you know,
15:10I'm really here
15:11to tell you about
15:12Rosalie Cook.
15:14And that's her picture
15:15here down here.
15:16she's a mother of three,
15:22grandmother of seven,
15:24great-grandmother of five
15:25and counting,
15:28the patriarch of the Cook family.
15:32And as I think back
15:33about my mom
15:34and I think about
15:35my early memories of her,
15:38I was always awed
15:39by her sacrifice,
15:41her dedication,
15:43and her tireless work
15:44for her family.
15:46Her typical day
15:48when I was a youngster
15:49was she would get up early,
15:52get my dad up,
15:55she would prepare his breakfast
15:56and pack his lunch,
15:58and then she would come
16:00get all the kids
16:01and pack us all in the car.
16:02We only had one car.
16:04And she'd take them to work,
16:06and then we'd come back,
16:07and we would go get ready
16:09for school.
16:09She'd make our breakfast
16:11and pack our lunch
16:12and send us off.
16:13And then she'd do the same
16:14for herself,
16:16and then off to work herself.
16:18And then she was home
16:19before the kids
16:20got home from school.
16:22And then we packed
16:23all in the car again,
16:24picked up Dad,
16:26came home,
16:28she cooked supper.
16:29Supper was on the table
16:30at 5 p.m.
16:31every night.
16:32You could sit your watch
16:33by it.
16:34And then it was baths,
16:36dishes,
16:37maybe a sitcom
16:38in the news,
16:38and wash,
16:40rinse,
16:40repeat.
16:42Never complained.
16:44She was loving,
16:46caring,
16:46and affectionate.
16:48She was a great hugger,
16:51quick to tell you
16:52that she loved you.
16:54And I honestly felt
16:55unconditional love
16:56from my childhood
16:57throughout my adulthood.
17:00Now, she was no softie.
17:02Don't get me wrong.
17:03I mean,
17:03she didn't put up
17:04with nonsense.
17:05I don't know
17:07how she found out
17:08that Hot Wheel tracks
17:10make a good switch.
17:14With a couple of smacks
17:15on the back of your legs
17:16and you,
17:17your attention is gotten.
17:20I tell you,
17:21I'd get a new
17:23Hot Wheel track
17:23for Christmas
17:24and I didn't know
17:25whether to play with it
17:26or put it under my bed.
17:28Like,
17:28way under my bed
17:29where her short arms
17:30couldn't reach it.
17:33But she was my best friend.
17:35And she was,
17:36she was unpretentious,
17:39humble,
17:41simple.
17:42She didn't require
17:43much at all.
17:45She wore very little makeup.
17:47I can tell you
17:47that she never had
17:49a professional manicure
17:50or pedicure
17:51her entire life.
17:52She rarely spent
17:54money on herself.
17:56I would come visit her
17:57and she'd have
17:57this little gleam
17:58in her eye
17:59like she'd gotten
17:59away with something.
18:00I'd say,
18:00what's going on, Mom?
18:01She goes,
18:02well, you know,
18:02I was in the mood
18:03for ice cream today
18:04and I went
18:05and to Wendy's
18:06got me a dollar frosty.
18:09And I said,
18:10oh, man,
18:11you're starting
18:11to walk on the wild side.
18:17The occasional hairdo
18:18was really her treat.
18:20You know,
18:20here in her Christmas
18:21picture below,
18:22you can see that hairdo.
18:23That's what she'd do
18:24for herself
18:25right now and then.
18:29Now,
18:30about her physically,
18:30she, you know,
18:31it's a picture of my mom.
18:33You could just read
18:34any childhood story
18:36about the little old lady
18:38and that really
18:39encapsulates my mom.
18:41She was five foot tall,
18:43a little plump.
18:44She was disabled.
18:46She could only shuffle
18:47with the assistance
18:48of a cane or a walker.
18:50She was a widow.
18:53She lived alone,
18:54determined to be independent.
18:55And, you know,
18:58all this made her
18:59the most vulnerable
19:00of the vulnerable.
19:02And she knew that.
19:04She did not take risk
19:05with her safety.
19:06She did not go out
19:07after dark.
19:09And she only went out
19:10during the day.
19:17But not quite five years ago,
19:19on a Saturday morning,
19:20she went to her local Walgreens
19:23to get some green cards
19:26to send off.
19:26She still sent out
19:27birthday cards to everybody.
19:30And a couple other items.
19:32She chatted with a little old lady
19:33behind the counter
19:34who she's gotten in
19:35over the years
19:36and got caught up
19:36on grandkids.
19:37And you know the type
19:39of conversation.
19:41And then,
19:41because she's disabled,
19:43she parked in the handicapped spot
19:44right outside the door.
19:46And as she walked out,
19:47didn't need to go eight feet,
19:49she was met by Randy Lewis
19:50and stabbed,
19:54murdered
19:54for a person or car.
19:58And as I said before,
20:00Randy Lewis had 67
20:01prior convictions,
20:03was out on two
20:04felony PR bonds.
20:06There's really no excuse for it.
20:20Really no excuse.
20:23He was let out
20:25with no accountability,
20:26not an ankle monitor,
20:29nothing.
20:32You know,
20:33the best predictor
20:34of the future
20:35is to look at the past,
20:36and this certainly
20:38applies to human behavior.
20:40Randy Lewis
20:41certainly proved
20:42that that saying
20:43is true.
20:45He had no business
20:46being on the street again.
20:48His past
20:49was a clear indicator
20:50that he had no respect
20:52for persons
20:52or the law.
20:55You know,
20:55my mom died
20:56a lonely,
20:59painful death
21:00on the hot asphalt
21:01of a Walgreens parking lot,
21:02drowning in her own blood.
21:07The system
21:09is supposed
21:09to be designed
21:11to protect the public
21:12and most importantly,
21:15the most vulnerable.
21:16The system
21:19failed my mother
21:20and that's
21:22been said already,
21:23unfortunately,
21:24her case
21:25is not
21:26isolated.
21:29You know,
21:29there's a saying
21:30that goes,
21:31if nothing changes,
21:32nothing changes.
21:35I mean,
21:35if we keep doing
21:36what we're doing,
21:37we're going to keep
21:37getting what we're getting.
21:38And it is long
21:42overdue
21:43to strengthen
21:43the bond system,
21:47especially regarding
21:48violent offenders.
21:52Now,
21:53Senator Huffman
21:54has proposed
21:55several bills,
21:56has made it
21:56through the Senate,
21:57they're in the House,
21:58as Governor Abbott
22:00had mentioned earlier,
22:01and we're hoping
22:02to get them
22:02out of the House.
22:03Smithy is
22:04sponsoring them
22:06in the House.
22:06and I'm 100%
22:09behind every one
22:10of those
22:10proposals
22:11and constitutional
22:12amendments.
22:16There is one
22:17that I just want
22:19to make a special
22:20mention about.
22:22There's House Bill
22:23799 right now
22:24that is being
22:25sponsored by Moody.
22:28It basically
22:29says that
22:31the default
22:32judgment
22:33for a defendant
22:34is a PR bond.
22:36That's the default
22:37and then you
22:38need to go up
22:39from there.
22:41Now,
22:42we all know
22:42how I feel
22:43about PR bonds.
22:45It's a slippery slope.
22:46It enables
22:47criminals.
22:49You know,
22:49there's not one
22:50decision,
22:51bad decision,
22:52that I've ever made
22:52that I did not
22:53suffer the consequences
22:54for.
22:56And some of my
22:57decisions
22:57have caused
22:58others pain.
23:00And it just
23:01happens.
23:02You see,
23:04my mom
23:04never enabled.
23:06They weren't
23:07going to suffer
23:07any consequences
23:08based on my
23:09decisions.
23:11You know,
23:12back in the 70s,
23:13perhaps when
23:14Juliana was
23:15cleaning up
23:16New York,
23:17the saying was,
23:20don't do the crime
23:21if you can't do
23:21the time.
23:24You know,
23:25there's an argument
23:26about that it
23:27affects some of
23:28the lower income
23:29folks more
23:30disproportionately,
23:30and that may
23:31be true.
23:34But you have
23:34every right to
23:35make the same
23:36decision that I
23:36have,
23:37or anybody
23:38else has.
23:43You see,
23:43my mother
23:44didn't have a
23:44choice.
23:45She is
23:49relegated
23:50for eternity
23:52in a grave.
23:53She doesn't
23:54get two years
23:54and get to get
23:55out.
23:56Or whatever
23:57the case may
23:57be that you
23:58got to wait
23:58for your trial.
23:59I'm not
24:00concerned.
24:01That's a you
24:01problem.
24:04Not a public
24:05safety problem.
24:09At any rate,
24:11as the
24:12House
24:15considers
24:15these bills,
24:16I asked
24:17them a couple
24:17months ago
24:18that as they
24:19consider them
24:19that they
24:20picture my
24:21mother's face
24:22and make
24:24the decision
24:24accordingly.
24:27Thank you
24:27for your time.
24:29I think
24:37all of
24:37these families
24:40who have
24:40gone through
24:41so much
24:42for taking
24:44the time
24:44to come
24:44out and
24:46share their
24:47stories,
24:48share the
24:49importance
24:50of their
24:51stories.
24:53As we
24:54get there
24:54here right
24:55now, there
24:56are thousands
24:57of bills
24:58that are
24:59working their
25:00way through
25:00the legislature.
25:02None of
25:03them have
25:05the deadly
25:06consequences
25:07as much
25:09as this
25:09legislation
25:10to amend
25:12the Constitution
25:12to keep
25:13these deadly,
25:14dangerous,
25:15violent criminals
25:16off the
25:17streets.
25:17surely
25:19everybody
25:21of every
25:21political
25:22background
25:22in the
25:23Capitol.
25:24We can
25:24agree that
25:25we want
25:25fewer
25:27murderers
25:27out on
25:28our street
25:28murdering
25:29again.
25:30That's all
25:31that we're
25:31asking.
25:33Get
25:34legislation
25:34passed
25:35and still
25:37in the
25:37Constitution
25:38that ensures
25:39that
25:41murderers
25:42who are
25:43arrested
25:44are not
25:45going to
25:45be released
25:46on PR
25:46bonds or
25:47otherwise
25:47out on
25:48our
25:48streets
25:48killing
25:50somebody
25:51else
25:51like the
25:53family
25:53members
25:54of those
25:55gathered
25:56around me
25:56today.
25:58You have
25:59the power
25:59to end
26:01the deaths
26:02or
26:03you have
26:05the
26:05responsibility
26:06for
26:07additional
26:08deaths
26:08that occur.
26:09We'll
26:11take a
26:12few
26:12questions.
26:19To be
26:20clear about
26:21what you're
26:21talking about.
26:22You're
26:22talking about
26:22the latest
26:23iteration of
26:24the Huffman
26:24JR?
26:26Okay.
26:26So
26:27Senator
26:28Huffman
26:28and I
26:29and my
26:30staff
26:31have
26:32worked
26:33on that
26:33and she
26:35is in
26:35agreement
26:36with me
26:36on the
26:38proposals
26:38that I've
26:39articulated
26:40today.
26:41So I
26:42think she
26:42would be
26:43in favor
26:44of a
26:44modification
26:44of her
26:45JR.
26:45Just to
26:46paraphrase,
26:47what you
26:47described today
26:47is the
26:48type of
26:48agreement to
26:49the
26:50legislator
26:51offline
26:51is not
26:52the same
26:52as the
26:52legislator
26:52that
26:53resolution.
26:53correct.
26:54That's
26:54my
26:54understanding.
26:55And that's
26:56why I
26:56wanted to
26:56be clear
26:56because
26:57these
26:57things
26:58can get
26:58updated
26:58all the
26:59time.
26:59But the
27:00last,
27:01put it
27:01this way,
27:02the last
27:02JR that
27:03passed the
27:03Senate that
27:04I'm aware
27:04of did
27:05not have
27:06in it
27:06the points
27:07that I
27:08outlined
27:08today that
27:09we have
27:10talked to
27:10Senator
27:10Huffman
27:11about and
27:12that she
27:12is in
27:12agreement
27:12with.
27:13Governor
27:16Abbott,
27:16Jason
27:17Ottis,
27:17a couple
27:18of
27:18protests
27:21so to
27:21speak
27:22before
27:22you
27:22are
27:22going
27:23across
27:23the
27:23street
27:23here
27:24in
27:24Texas
27:25the
27:25criminal
27:26defense
27:26attorneys
27:26association
27:27downtown
27:27and one
27:29other quote
27:29was
27:30you know
27:30you're
27:31using
27:31heart
27:31breaking
27:32tragedies
27:32which
27:32legislation
27:33that
27:33may
27:34not
27:34have
27:35been
27:35what
27:36do
27:36you say
27:36about
27:36this?
27:37Wow.
27:40Really
27:41what
27:41to
27:41it?
27:41Wow.
27:42Innocent
27:42that's
27:51an
27:51insult
27:51to
27:53families
27:54who
27:55have
27:55a
27:55murdered
27:56family
27:57member.
27:58I mean
27:58think about
27:59it.
27:59These
27:59are
27:59people
27:59who
28:00have
28:00no
28:01logic.
28:02Let's
28:02look at
28:02the
28:02logic
28:03here.
28:04Each
28:04of
28:04these
28:04families
28:05lost
28:06a
28:06loved
28:06one
28:07to
28:08someone
28:08who
28:08murdered
28:09them
28:09who
28:10had
28:10previously
28:11committed
28:11either
28:12a
28:12murder
28:12or
28:12other
28:13violent
28:13crime.
28:14If
28:15they
28:15were
28:15behind
28:16bars
28:16it
28:17would
28:17be
28:17physically
28:18impossible
28:19for
28:19them
28:20to
28:20have
28:20murdered
28:21the
28:22family
28:22member
28:22the
28:22people
28:23with
28:23me
28:23today.
28:24Behind
28:24bars
28:25can't
28:25commit
28:26the
28:26murder.
28:26Get
28:27out
28:27on a
28:27PR
28:27bond
28:28roam
28:28in
28:28the
28:28streets
28:29commit
28:29the
28:29murder.
28:30That's
28:31an
28:31insane
28:31argument.
28:32And
28:32that
28:32is
28:33exactly
28:33why.
28:34This
28:35is
28:35the
28:35type
28:35of
28:36issue
28:36that
28:36people
28:37at
28:37both
28:37parties
28:38can
28:39come
28:39together.
28:39This
28:39is
28:39common
28:40sense.
28:42You
28:43pass
28:43this
28:43bill,
28:45pass
28:45this
28:45constitutional
28:45amendment,
28:47lives
28:47will
28:47literally
28:48be
28:48saved.
28:49You
28:49fail
28:50to
28:50pass
28:50this,
28:51more
28:52people
28:52are
28:52going
28:52to
28:52be
28:53murdered.
28:54This
28:54has
28:55to
28:55get
28:55done.
28:58Do you
28:58have a
28:58timeline as
28:59far as
28:59how
28:59you'd
29:00like to
29:00sign
29:01them all?
29:02So
29:02here's
29:08the way
29:09that it
29:09works
29:09procedurally.
29:11It's
29:11called a
29:11joint
29:11resolution,
29:12which is
29:12another
29:13name of
29:14a
29:14constitutional
29:14amendment
29:15as opposed
29:15to a
29:15bill.
29:16And
29:16it has
29:17to
29:17pass
29:17two-thirds
29:17of the
29:18House
29:18and
29:18Senate.
29:19And
29:19then it's
29:20going to
29:20be on
29:20the
29:20ballot
29:21in
29:21November
29:21if it
29:22does
29:23pass.
29:23But
29:23the
29:24timing
29:24to
29:24get
29:24it
29:24passed
29:25will
29:25be
29:26before
29:26the
29:26end
29:26of
29:26May.
29:27So
29:28we
29:28have
29:28a
29:28month
29:28to
29:29get
29:29this
29:29done.
29:31questions.
29:32What
29:32is
29:32probably
29:33these
29:34reforms
29:34would
29:35be
29:35successful?
29:36Would you
29:36start over
29:37again,
29:37please?
29:38What do you
29:38think is
29:39probably
29:39that these
29:40reforms
29:40would be
29:41successful?
29:43Listen,
29:44there's
29:44every reason
29:44to believe
29:45these reforms
29:46are going
29:47to be
29:47successful
29:48and
29:49that this
29:49constitutional
29:49amendment
29:50is going
29:50to be
29:50passed
29:50because
29:51everyone
29:53should
29:54agree
29:54that we
29:55need
29:55to
29:55act
29:56to
29:56prevent
29:57other
29:57people
29:57from
29:57dying
29:58because
29:59of
29:59the
29:59PR
30:00bond
30:00rules
30:01that
30:02allow
30:02these
30:02judges
30:03in
30:03Harris
30:03County
30:04to
30:04let
30:04dangerous
30:04criminals
30:05to
30:05the
30:06street
30:06just
30:06to
30:07kill
30:07again.
30:07So
30:07I
30:07feel
30:08very
30:08confident
30:08about
30:09it
30:09passing.
30:10I'll
30:19be
30:19honest
30:19with
30:19you
30:19straightforward.
30:22There
30:22are
30:2288
30:23Republicans
30:23in the
30:24Texas
30:24House
30:24who I
30:25know
30:25will
30:25support
30:25this
30:26proposal
30:26and
30:27to
30:28get
30:28it
30:28passed
30:28we
30:28need
30:2912
30:29Democrats
30:30in
30:30the
30:30Texas
30:31House
30:31to
30:31agree
30:31to
30:31this
30:32and
30:32so
30:33it's
30:33just
30:33a
30:33matter
30:33of
30:33gaining
30:34the
30:34support
30:34of
30:3512
30:35Democrats
30:36candidly
30:37if
30:37you
30:37have
30:37just
30:38the
30:38Democrat
30:38delegation
30:39from
30:39the
30:40greater
30:40Houston
30:40area
30:41that
30:41would
30:42get
30:42it
30:42done.
30:43That's
30:43all we
30:43got
30:43time
30:44folks.
30:44Thank
30:44you.