Judge: Schoolyard slaying suspect's bail appropriate

Newark Star Ledger ^ | September 05, 2007 | Claire Heininger

[3AngelaD]

An illegal immigrant charged in last month's Newark schoolyard slayings was entitled to be free on bail for previous crimes at the time of the shootings, and public criticism surrounding his release reflects a "profoundly flawed understanding of the right to bail," according to a judge's report released today...retired Judge Arthur N. D'Italia reviewed the court procedures followed in consolidating and setting bail in the prior criminal cases against Jose Lachira Carranza, whose arrest record - for attacking patrons during a bar fight and for child rape - sparked outrage after the Aug. 4 killings.

...the report...concludes the judge's actions were appropriate.

"Carranza was entitled to a reasonable bail that would ensure his presence at trial on serious charges," D'Italia's report states. "In fact, he appeared when required at two hearings subsequent to posting bail. Thus, the 'primary purpose of bail' under the New Jersey Constitution was satisfied."

Rabner asked D'Italia, a retired Superior Court judge in Hudson County, to conduct the probe on Aug. 16....

The state Attorney General's office is also conducting an investigation into Carranza's case. The two probes came in response to finger-pointing between prosecutors and the judiciary over Superior Court Judge Thomas Vena's decision on May 17 to reduce Carranza's bail in the child rape case.

Carranza, 28, an illegal immigrant from Peru who had been living in Orange and working as a laborer, was released from the Essex County jail on May 22 after posting $150,000 bail, which Vena lowered from $300,000.

Carranza was charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty in the deaths of Terrance Aeriel, 18, Dashon Harvey, 20, and Iofemi Hightower, 20. Five other suspects are also in custody.

[pandoraou812]

I lived on Broad St Bloomfield, in the Brookdale section... I havn’t gone back in yrs. Lived In Glen Ridge most of my younger years. I was born in East Orange. I try not to go north since I moved to the shore area. I hate the traffic up there & the crime scares me. Have a great weekend, I am off camping until Sunday. ~P~

[agrace]

From East Orange to Glen Ridge - smart move. :)

We rented an apt from a lady on Berkeley Ave back when we were pregnant with our first - like I said, born in Newark, in Columbus Hospital. When I was discharged, the nurse wheeled me outside to a load/unload area while my husband drove the car around. She left me sitting there and went back inside and I remember thinking as I looked at the various shady characters hanging around, she has NO business walking away from a woman recovering from a C section clutching a newborn.

You have a good weekend too, enjoy your camping. We just camped last weekend - across the road from our neighborhood. There’s a campground so close we can throw a rock to it. I love NE Ohio, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that our house here would cost 700-800k in Northern NJ.