Sen. Schumer pushing for tougher laws to protect witnesses
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: August 30, 2012
With around 30 shots fired incidents recently in Utica alone, They
city's police department has been left frustrated by the increase of
eyewitnesses unwilling to come forward in these kinds of investigations.
Now, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is pushing legislation to beef up protecting witnesses of a crime.
Sen. Schumer introduced "The Witness Protection Act."
If this law were to go into effect, it would make witness intimidation a federal crime, and toughen up sentences for people who try to threaten a witness.
Officials say having these kind of tougher punishments will be key to keeping people from threatening witnesses.
The U.S. Senator says punishment would include up to 30 years behind bards for people who physically threaten a witness, and 20 years for other forms of intimidation.
Oneida County District Attorney, Scott McNamara says he's dealt with cases in the past where witnesses he was working with have been threatened.
"He could have been prosecuted under federal law, so the defendant could have gotten additional time for the murder, and the individual who did the threatening could have received a substantial sentence. When we start prosecuting people for that, most people don't really want to do sentences with those big of years," said McNamara.
"If gang members see that one of their members intimidated a witness and went to jail for 20 years, they'd stop. People hate the gangs, and they'd love to come testify against them but they're afraid. If we can stop the intimidation, it will really help crime here in Utica," said Sen. Schumer.
"Without that cooperation, what you're going to find is that it's going to lead to the next shooting, and the next shooting after that. This wouldn't be necessary if we had cooperating witnesses," said UPD Chief, Mark Williams.
Schumer says this law plans on going into judiciary committee this fall.
And not only does he believe that this legislation will help Central New York, but the country as well.
Now, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is pushing legislation to beef up protecting witnesses of a crime.
Sen. Schumer introduced "The Witness Protection Act."
If this law were to go into effect, it would make witness intimidation a federal crime, and toughen up sentences for people who try to threaten a witness.
Officials say having these kind of tougher punishments will be key to keeping people from threatening witnesses.
The U.S. Senator says punishment would include up to 30 years behind bards for people who physically threaten a witness, and 20 years for other forms of intimidation.
Oneida County District Attorney, Scott McNamara says he's dealt with cases in the past where witnesses he was working with have been threatened.
"He could have been prosecuted under federal law, so the defendant could have gotten additional time for the murder, and the individual who did the threatening could have received a substantial sentence. When we start prosecuting people for that, most people don't really want to do sentences with those big of years," said McNamara.
"If gang members see that one of their members intimidated a witness and went to jail for 20 years, they'd stop. People hate the gangs, and they'd love to come testify against them but they're afraid. If we can stop the intimidation, it will really help crime here in Utica," said Sen. Schumer.
"Without that cooperation, what you're going to find is that it's going to lead to the next shooting, and the next shooting after that. This wouldn't be necessary if we had cooperating witnesses," said UPD Chief, Mark Williams.
Schumer says this law plans on going into judiciary committee this fall.
And not only does he believe that this legislation will help Central New York, but the country as well.
