Continues push for legislative action on bill
LANSING, MI – State Representative Thomas Stallworth (D-Detroit) today renewed his calls for the Legislature to pass his bill, House Bill 5145 which makes a murder committed by discharging a weapon into an occupied home, or a drive-by shooting, carry a first degree murder charge after 9-month-old Delric Miller, IV was struck and killed while sleeping on a couch in his Detroit home.
“To lose any person, let alone such a young child, is a terrible thing to happen to a community,” said Stallworth. “With homicides nearing 50 residents already this year, our city is seeing an unprecedented amount of violence. To recklessly discharge a weapon at someone’s home shows a careless disregard for human life and these crimes should receive the harshest penalty allowed under Michigan law.”
According to news reports, someone fired nearly 40 rounds from an assault rifle into Delric’s home at around 4:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 20. One of the rounds struck the child and resulted in his death. House Bill 5145 would amend the law to make such incidents a first-degree murder charge carrying a penalty of life in prison. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Judiciary where it has been since it was introduced on Feb. 3.
“There is no acceptable justification for the commission of such a heinous act,” said Stallworth. “A clear message and decisive action is needed to let the public know that our families and children must and will be protected from such destructive acts of cowardice and gang culture. Unfortunately stricter punishments will not completely solve the problem. We need the governor and leadership in the Legislature to begin focusing on the causes of violence; hopelessness and poverty that result in youthful aggression becoming adult murders.”
This was printed in the March 25, 2012 – April 7, 2012 Edition
