Not so fast on charity bail, say Blaz & O’Neill

Police Commissioner James O’Neill and Mayor de Blasio have reservations about a Kennedy family charity’s plan to bail out hundreds of teenagers and women awaiting trial on Rikers Island, they said Thursday.

The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights foundation plans to raise $5 million to post bail for all eligible 16- and 17-year old inmates — saying cash bail criminalizes poverty and leaves poor New Yorkers stranded on Rikers Island when wealthier people accused of crimes can post bail and await trial at home.

The move comes as many have pushed for reforms or an end to the cash bail system, with the case of Kalief Browder, who languished for years on Rikers Island because he could not pay his bail as he awaited trial for an ultimately dropped charge of stealing a book bag serving as a rallying cry. Browder killed himself after being released from Rikers.

But while de Blasio has backed calls for bail reform, he said the charity ought to only extend its cash to those charged with nonviolent crimes — something he said he’d express to the charity.

“I would argue their intention is noble, but they should focus on low-level and nonviolent offenders only,” de Blasio said.

O’Neill, too, said he was fine the charity’s effort to help people facing “low-level bail” — but said they should also consider the rights of crime victims. “I understand the concern,” O’Neill said, “but we have people getting out that were involved in shootings, robberies, domestic violence and what about the victims?”