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Michael Untermeyer for Philadelphia District Attorney

Determined

  • Zero Tolerance Illegal Handguns
  • Proposed mandatory minimum prison sentences for gun offenses
  • Expansion of Gun Task Force with District Attorney, U.S. Attorney, & State Attorney General
  • Promote microstamping technology to allow police to trace gun casings back to handgun fired

Effective Prosecution

  • Bail Reform - $1 billion owed to the city, 1 billion reasons to change
  • Vertical prosecution proposed., one attorney to each case and victim from arrest to sentence
  • Change obsolete prosecution methods
  • DA involvement with court systems & participating agencies to plan & monitor practical reentry programs.

Resourceful

  • Create Finance Deputy position, charged with identifying new funding sources.
  • Expand Major Financial Crimes Unit to mirror Manhattan DA collection of $175,000,000
  • Executive Level Development Officer to obtain grants and additional funding from private and public sectors
  • Expansion of Asset Forfeiture programs, including addition of professional Financial investigators

Victim Advocacy

  • Victims First.
  • Reorganize Victims Services to include 24/7 DA staffed Victim Assistance Hotline

BAIL: A SHAM AND A SHAME

Currently, after someone is arrested, bail is set by a judge or a bail commissioner. The defendant or someone on their behalf, deposits the money with the court and the defendant is released on the condition that if he/she does not appear in court, the bail money will be forfeited to the court.

DA MONEY: WHERE WE GET IT, HOW WE SPEND IT

I will add a new executive position, Deputy of Finance. Their primary role will be to not only manage the budget and finances of the DA's office but also to identify and seek additional funding sources. This position will supervise an expanded Asset Forfeiture unit, with attorneys experienced in financial crimes and forfeiture law. This deputy will supervise a development officer whose sole responsibility will be to find outside funding from private and public grants, from state and federal agencies, and from charitable organizations. The Deputy will also work with prosecutors in the Investigations Division to devise strategies for investigating and prosecuting major corporate and financial crimes.

DA INVOLVEMENT IN PRISONER REENTRY

Why should the District Attorney assist the reentry of defendants after their release from prison? Realizing that someone who has been in jail is more likely to repeat a pattern of crime-prison-release-crime-prison, I suggest the DA's office work closely with the Court to suggest sentencing recommendations that reflect a defendant's vocational and social service needs in addition to just a prison sentence.

DA's OFFICE - LAWYER TO THE PEOPLE

The District Attorney's office must view itself as an advocate for its clients, the people of Philadelphia. When I was an ADA I believed that my role as an advocate for the victims of crime was just as important as my role as an advocate prosecuting crimes for our Commonwealth.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ILLEGAL HANDGUNS

Philadelphia is a city of history and grace. While being the birthplace of our nation - where our forbearers fought for freedom and independence - today Philadelphia has the highest per capita homicide rate of any major city in America.

Now is the time to stop gun violence. The most important challenge for me as District Attorney is to take swift action to get illegal handguns and the criminals that possess them off the streets of Philadelphia. As DA I have a simple position: Zero tolerance for illegal handguns.

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