Cop-killers: Long Criminal Records,
but Lax Treatment by DAs, Judges
On the evening of March 25, 2024, New York Police Department(NYPD) Officer Jonathan Diller and another officer noticed a vehicle idling in front of a bus stop in Queens. After seeing an individual
suspiciously enter the vehicle, they decided to approach it. The officers questioned the individual, Guy Rivera, and his companion, and asked Rivera to exit the vehicle. When Rivera refused, the officers tried to remove him from his seat. At that point, Rivera pulled out a gun and shot Officer Diller in the stomach, just below his bulletproof vest. Although having just been shot, Officer Diller successfully disarmed Rivera, who was also trying to shoot his partner. In critical condition, Diller was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he died. Rivera, the accused killer, had a lengthy criminal record prior to this
tragedy. Arrested 21 previous times, mostly for drug and assault offenses, he had served two stints in prison, most recently being released in 2021. His companion, Lindy Jones, had 14 prior arrests and served 10 years in prison from 2003 to 2013. At the time of the shooting, he was out on bail for an April
2023 arrest for criminal possession of a firearm. New York City Mayor Eric Adams — whose own record on crime is spotty — expressed outrage that Rivera and Jones were on the streets. “April 2023. Less than a year, gun charge, he’s back on the streets,” Adams said at a press conference at Jamaica Hospital. “This is what you call not a crime problem, but a recidivist problem: same bad people doing bad things to good people. Less than a year. He’s back on the streets with another guy.” After attending Officer Diller’s wake a few days later, former President Donald Trump also pointed out the danger of soft-on-crime policies, stating, “We have to get back to law and order. We have to do a lot of things differently because this is not working. This is happening too often.” Unfortunately, Trump is correct. Officer Diller’s murder is only one of multiple recent instances of law-enforcement officers being assaulted or killed by repeat offenders — people who shouldn’t have been out on the streets in the first place.
NYC Crime Surge
Two years earlier, New York City was rocked by another murder of a police officer. On the night of January 21, 2022, two NYPD officers were shot — one fatally — when responding to a domestic incident in Harlem. Officer Jason Rivera was killed in the shooting, while his partner, Officer Wilbert Mora, was badly injured. The perpetrator, Lashawn McNeil, who also died in the incident, had been previously arrested five times for charges such as assaulting a police officer and illegal possession of a weapon. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation for a felony drug charge.
Other instances of violence against police officers exist. On January 27,2024, a gang of illegal aliens — who, legally, shouldn’t be in the United States to begin with — violently assaulted three NYPD officers attempting to disperse the group. Of the individuals who were arrested, five were immediately
released without paying bail, with four of them fleeing New York City before being apprehended in MaricopaCounty, Arizona. Although the officers only received minor injuries, this incident could have been avoided had the city and state adopted a tougher approach to law enforcement. Why are NYPD officers encountering such violence? A major reason is intentional non-enforcement of laws by New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On January 3, 2022, two days after assuming office, he issued a memo ordering prosecutors to avoid prosecutions or pretrial detentions for County, California, District Attorney’s Office, during an 18-month period when the county had a no-bail policy,
78 percent of suspects released without bail in the county were rearrested, compared to 46 percent of suspects who paid bail. Similarly, a 2024 report by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found that 66 percent of suspects in New York State (excluding New York City) released without bail were rearrested. Finally, 11 other states and hundreds of localities have enacted “sanctuary” policies for illegal aliens. As with New York City and State, these jurisdictions have attracted large numbers of illegals, many of whom have committed crimes against police officers and civilians.
Police officers are feeling the results of these policies. A notable example occurred in Chicago in May 2023 when Chicago Police Department Officer Aréanah Preston was murdered in the city’s South Side while returning home after finishing her shift. Four suspects — all under the age of 20 — were arrested and charged with her murder. They had allegedly attempted to rob her but got into a gunfight after she drew her weapon. All four had prior criminal records; were arrested multiple times
for charges such as carjacking, armed robbery, and assault; and had repeatedly committed crimes while on probation for previous crimes. One of them, 18-year-old Joseph Brooks, had been arrested nine times in the previous four years. On the West Coast, Oakland, California, was shaken on the morning of December 29, 2023, when Officer Tuan Le, a naturalized U.S. citizen who had been on the police force for more than three years, was killed while responding to a robbery. Again, four suspects
were charged, all of whom had previous criminal records. Three of them — Marquise Cooper, Mark Sanders, and Sebron Russell — had previously been convicted of burglary in Philadelphia, while Cooper and Russell had also been charged with burglary in Alameda County, California, though those charges were dismissed. Meanwhile, New York’s radical crime policies have affected the entire state.
On September 6, 2023, a police officer in Yonkers, New York, was punched in the face by a man whom the officer was assisting after being found unresponsive on a sidewalk. The officer suffered a broken nose and had to take leave due to his injuries. The assailant, Johnny McCray, had been convicted 13 times in the previous 20 years. However, County Court Judge Maurice Williams ordered McCray released without bail despite prosecutors asking for a $150,000 bond. Of course, ordinary citizens are also being harmed by jurisdictions that ignore the law. For example, CWB Chicago reported in February 2024 that in the previous six months, one suspect shoplifted 14 times in multiple stores in Downtown Chicago. Except for the first instance, he was released without bail each time under a 2021 state law eliminating cash bail. In New York City, an illegal alien from Venezuela had been arrested six times over a span of two months for multiple crimes, most of which were violent. Again, he was released without bail each time. And the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by an illegal alien — who shouldn’t have been in the country to begin with — shocked the entire nation. However, he had been arrested— and released — three times previously in Athens, Georgia, including for driving under the influence. None of these crimes would have happened if the authorities had faithfully enforced the law. Countless other examples across the country could be given. However, those listed above are sufficient to illustrate the damage rogue prosecutors, left-wing lawmakers, and sanctuary jurisdictions have done to their communities. It is essential that these procriminal policies be reversed.
Taking Action
What can be done to stop and reverse the destructive policies wreaking havoc in American communities? Already, pushback against these policies has begun. For example, radical district attorneys in St. Louis, San Francisco, and elsewhere have been removed or pressured to resign from
office due to their pro-criminal policies. Meanwhile, some states, such as Texas and Georgia, have passed legislation restricting prosecutors’ and judges’ ability to ignore or subvert the law. And multiple states have banned sanctuary cities, helping prevent localities from becoming magnets for illegal aliens — and increased crime. However, much more work remainsto be done, since dozens of rogue prosecutors and judges, along with radical bail and “sanctuary” laws in multiple states and localities, remain in place. We also face the added challenge of avoiding false solutions that — while appearing promising at first — could worsen these policies, along with our nation’s overall state of affairs. These include various proposals to increase federal oversight or control of local law enforcement. Although promoted as a way to rein in rogue prosecutors and softon-crime policies, such federalization is unconstitutional and could backfire. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution
clearly lists the specific powers delegated to Congress, and nowhere is domestic law enforcement listed. Such powers are reserved to the states and, by extension, localities. Furthermore, centralization
dilutes local control and accountability while strengthening big-government power. The federal government could easily turn around and impose the same soft-on-crime policies on localities that it
originally sought to deter. To restore sound law-enforcement policies while avoiding false solutions,
an informed and activated electorate is needed. The John Birch Society — the sister organization of the Law Enforcement Charitable Foundation — works tirelessly to educate Americans and motivate them to action. Since 1963, the JBS has operated its Support Your Local Police campaign, which seeks to protect local, independent police while resisting radical policies at odds with our nation’s founding values. By joining these efforts and creating an educated electorate, we can restore lawenforcement
policies that protect our communities and align with fundamental
American principles.
www.
suspiciously enter the vehicle, they decided to approach it. The officers questioned the individual, Guy Rivera, and his companion, and asked Rivera to exit the vehicle. When Rivera refused, the officers tried to remove him from his seat. At that point, Rivera pulled out a gun and shot Officer Diller in the stomach, just below his bulletproof vest. Although having just been shot, Officer Diller successfully disarmed Rivera, who was also trying to shoot his partner. In critical condition, Diller was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he died. Rivera, the accused killer, had a lengthy criminal record prior to this
tragedy. Arrested 21 previous times, mostly for drug and assault offenses, he had served two stints in prison, most recently being released in 2021. His companion, Lindy Jones, had 14 prior arrests and served 10 years in prison from 2003 to 2013. At the time of the shooting, he was out on bail for an April
2023 arrest for criminal possession of a firearm. New York City Mayor Eric Adams — whose own record on crime is spotty — expressed outrage that Rivera and Jones were on the streets. “April 2023. Less than a year, gun charge, he’s back on the streets,” Adams said at a press conference at Jamaica Hospital. “This is what you call not a crime problem, but a recidivist problem: same bad people doing bad things to good people. Less than a year. He’s back on the streets with another guy.” After attending Officer Diller’s wake a few days later, former President Donald Trump also pointed out the danger of soft-on-crime policies, stating, “We have to get back to law and order. We have to do a lot of things differently because this is not working. This is happening too often.” Unfortunately, Trump is correct. Officer Diller’s murder is only one of multiple recent instances of law-enforcement officers being assaulted or killed by repeat offenders — people who shouldn’t have been out on the streets in the first place.
NYC Crime Surge
Two years earlier, New York City was rocked by another murder of a police officer. On the night of January 21, 2022, two NYPD officers were shot — one fatally — when responding to a domestic incident in Harlem. Officer Jason Rivera was killed in the shooting, while his partner, Officer Wilbert Mora, was badly injured. The perpetrator, Lashawn McNeil, who also died in the incident, had been previously arrested five times for charges such as assaulting a police officer and illegal possession of a weapon. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation for a felony drug charge.
Other instances of violence against police officers exist. On January 27,2024, a gang of illegal aliens — who, legally, shouldn’t be in the United States to begin with — violently assaulted three NYPD officers attempting to disperse the group. Of the individuals who were arrested, five were immediately
released without paying bail, with four of them fleeing New York City before being apprehended in MaricopaCounty, Arizona. Although the officers only received minor injuries, this incident could have been avoided had the city and state adopted a tougher approach to law enforcement. Why are NYPD officers encountering such violence? A major reason is intentional non-enforcement of laws by New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg. On January 3, 2022, two days after assuming office, he issued a memo ordering prosecutors to avoid prosecutions or pretrial detentions for County, California, District Attorney’s Office, during an 18-month period when the county had a no-bail policy,
78 percent of suspects released without bail in the county were rearrested, compared to 46 percent of suspects who paid bail. Similarly, a 2024 report by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found that 66 percent of suspects in New York State (excluding New York City) released without bail were rearrested. Finally, 11 other states and hundreds of localities have enacted “sanctuary” policies for illegal aliens. As with New York City and State, these jurisdictions have attracted large numbers of illegals, many of whom have committed crimes against police officers and civilians.
Police officers are feeling the results of these policies. A notable example occurred in Chicago in May 2023 when Chicago Police Department Officer Aréanah Preston was murdered in the city’s South Side while returning home after finishing her shift. Four suspects — all under the age of 20 — were arrested and charged with her murder. They had allegedly attempted to rob her but got into a gunfight after she drew her weapon. All four had prior criminal records; were arrested multiple times
for charges such as carjacking, armed robbery, and assault; and had repeatedly committed crimes while on probation for previous crimes. One of them, 18-year-old Joseph Brooks, had been arrested nine times in the previous four years. On the West Coast, Oakland, California, was shaken on the morning of December 29, 2023, when Officer Tuan Le, a naturalized U.S. citizen who had been on the police force for more than three years, was killed while responding to a robbery. Again, four suspects
were charged, all of whom had previous criminal records. Three of them — Marquise Cooper, Mark Sanders, and Sebron Russell — had previously been convicted of burglary in Philadelphia, while Cooper and Russell had also been charged with burglary in Alameda County, California, though those charges were dismissed. Meanwhile, New York’s radical crime policies have affected the entire state.
On September 6, 2023, a police officer in Yonkers, New York, was punched in the face by a man whom the officer was assisting after being found unresponsive on a sidewalk. The officer suffered a broken nose and had to take leave due to his injuries. The assailant, Johnny McCray, had been convicted 13 times in the previous 20 years. However, County Court Judge Maurice Williams ordered McCray released without bail despite prosecutors asking for a $150,000 bond. Of course, ordinary citizens are also being harmed by jurisdictions that ignore the law. For example, CWB Chicago reported in February 2024 that in the previous six months, one suspect shoplifted 14 times in multiple stores in Downtown Chicago. Except for the first instance, he was released without bail each time under a 2021 state law eliminating cash bail. In New York City, an illegal alien from Venezuela had been arrested six times over a span of two months for multiple crimes, most of which were violent. Again, he was released without bail each time. And the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by an illegal alien — who shouldn’t have been in the country to begin with — shocked the entire nation. However, he had been arrested— and released — three times previously in Athens, Georgia, including for driving under the influence. None of these crimes would have happened if the authorities had faithfully enforced the law. Countless other examples across the country could be given. However, those listed above are sufficient to illustrate the damage rogue prosecutors, left-wing lawmakers, and sanctuary jurisdictions have done to their communities. It is essential that these procriminal policies be reversed.
Taking Action
What can be done to stop and reverse the destructive policies wreaking havoc in American communities? Already, pushback against these policies has begun. For example, radical district attorneys in St. Louis, San Francisco, and elsewhere have been removed or pressured to resign from
office due to their pro-criminal policies. Meanwhile, some states, such as Texas and Georgia, have passed legislation restricting prosecutors’ and judges’ ability to ignore or subvert the law. And multiple states have banned sanctuary cities, helping prevent localities from becoming magnets for illegal aliens — and increased crime. However, much more work remainsto be done, since dozens of rogue prosecutors and judges, along with radical bail and “sanctuary” laws in multiple states and localities, remain in place. We also face the added challenge of avoiding false solutions that — while appearing promising at first — could worsen these policies, along with our nation’s overall state of affairs. These include various proposals to increase federal oversight or control of local law enforcement. Although promoted as a way to rein in rogue prosecutors and softon-crime policies, such federalization is unconstitutional and could backfire. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution
clearly lists the specific powers delegated to Congress, and nowhere is domestic law enforcement listed. Such powers are reserved to the states and, by extension, localities. Furthermore, centralization
dilutes local control and accountability while strengthening big-government power. The federal government could easily turn around and impose the same soft-on-crime policies on localities that it
originally sought to deter. To restore sound law-enforcement policies while avoiding false solutions,
an informed and activated electorate is needed. The John Birch Society — the sister organization of the Law Enforcement Charitable Foundation — works tirelessly to educate Americans and motivate them to action. Since 1963, the JBS has operated its Support Your Local Police campaign, which seeks to protect local, independent police while resisting radical policies at odds with our nation’s founding values. By joining these efforts and creating an educated electorate, we can restore lawenforcement
policies that protect our communities and align with fundamental
American principles.
www.
