Because so few white people engage in drive-by shootings in the state of Washington, disparate impact must be immediately invoked to ensure racial equity keeps non-whites out of jail.

Rantz: WA Democrats’ bill says it’s ‘racial equity’ to go easy on drive-by murderers, by Jason Rantz, MyNorthWest.com, December 28, 2021

Washington Democrats hope to go easy on drive-by murderers in order to promote racial equity for criminals. It’s the latest light-on-crime scheme pushed under the guise of being anti-racist.

House Bill 1692 lessens the criminal penalties for drive-by shootings. It prohibits using a drive-by shooting as a basis for elevating a first degree murder charge to an aggravated first degree murder. The bill is also retroactive, lessening punishment for those already found guilty in drive-by shooting cases. It even offers carve-outs to release felons from jail if they committed their violent act when they were under 21-years-old.

The bill’s sponsors, state Representatives Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton) and David Hackney (D-Tukwila), pre-filed the bill ahead of the Jan. 10, 2022, start to the legislative session. They claim this change promotes “racial equity in the criminal legal system.” It does no such thing. It merely goes easy on criminals who deserve lifetime jail sentences.

Democrats again side with criminals

Criminals found guilty of first degree murder face a maximum sentence of life without parole. These crimes are usually pre-meditated, though a murder that shows extreme indifference to human life also qualifies. Due to sentencing guidelines, first degree murder charges usually result in a sentence of 20-30 years, with 20 years being the minimum.

Under current state laws, a drive-by shooting qualifies for an aggravatedfirst degree murder charge. It isn’t regularly charged as the partisan prosecutor’s office in the county drive-by shootings are most likely to occur — King County — is reticent to dole out life sentences. The aggravated classification, however, remains an option for a future prosecutor’s office when faced with a suspect who is truly evil. It can also provide a disincentive for criminals to engage in such behavior.

This class A felony comes with a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Thanks to the Washington State Supreme Court, drive-by murderers under 21 cannot serve life without parole.

Other aggravating circumstances that qualify for mandatory life sentence without parole include murder-for-hire, rape, kidnapping, and arson. It would normally qualify for the death penalty, but the progressive the state Supreme Court abolished it, citing racial bias.

HB 1692, if passed, would remove drive-by shootings from the list of aggravated factors. Thus, a drive-by murderer, if charged and convicted, could be released from prison. But the bill goes even farther than reclassifying drive-by shootings.

Bill retroactively applies the new standards

HB 1692 is retroactive if a drive-by shooting was the only aggravating factor in the first degree murder charge.

A lazy implication by lawmakers, one who won’t respond to basic questions

Reps. Simmons and Hackney claim in the bill’s introduction that this is about “promoting racial equity in the criminal legal system.” But the neither the bill nor the lawmakers explain how the bill would do that.

Hackney did not respond to multiple requests for comment. His district, which includes south Seattle, Tukwila, Renton and Kent, are cities that experience a high number of drive-by shootings. The gun violence has prompted area-Mayors to demand more legal consequences to those perpetuating the gun violence. And Washington has been ranked amongst the worst states for drive-by shootings.

Simmons, however, offered a statement.

Through her office, Simmons argued that first degree murder “is a heinous crime which already carries a long and serious sentence.” But, she added, “it’s clear that [this aggravated classification] was targeted at gangs that were predominantly young and Black.” She argues it’s an example of “systemic racism.”

And while Simmons wants to make this issue about saving children from life sentences, her bill applies to adults, the majority of which commit gang-related gun violence. And no child can get life without parole for a drive-by murder in Washington state.

Her argument doesn’t make sense.

Drive-by charges target gang members? No kidding.

Given that drive-by shootings are a common practice of gangs, and that gangs in this country are majority Hispanic and Black, one could see the disproportionality argument coming: that Hispanic or Black criminals are more likely to spend life in prison without parole than white criminals due to this aggravating factor.

But disproportionality arguments are relatively useless as they don’t explain why the disparity exists in the first place. Progressives who view everything through a critical race theory lens argue the disparity exists due to racism. They’re seldom correct.

It’s not hard. Evil people want to criminalize white people for not committing the same amount of crime as non-whites.

How?

By not making the crime white people refuse to commit (but non-whites disproportionately commit) a criminal offense.

All in the name of racial equity.

Welcome to Black-Run America (BRA).

The joke is no longer funny.

[Comment at Unz.com]