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Career criminal arrested for Roxbury carjacking
By adamg on Mon, 01/02/2017 - 7:43pm
Boston Police report arresting a man they say stole a car this afternoon by indicating to the driver and a passenger that he had a gun.
Police say the victims were in their car at Walnut Avenue and Bower Street around 1 p.m. when James Mendes, 25:
Jumped into the back seat of the vehicle, grabbed at this waist area in such a way as if to suggest he was in possession of a weapon and then ordered both the operator and front seat passenger out of the car.
In May, 2015, police arrested Mendes on gun charges and for being an "armed career criminal." He was arrested again about two months later, again on gun charges.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
This is a huge issue
"In May, 2015, police arrested Mendes on gun charges and for being an "armed career criminal." He was arrested again about two months later, again on gun charges."
So this guy is arrested and designated as a career criminal, released on probation and arrested again with an illegal firearm two months later......
Why was he on the streets today?
Probation?
I saw no mention of probation, only of arrests. Do you know something Adam doesn't.
No probation, just bail on gun charges. If he's been getting to his hearings, the court system is working. Now, his bail was $75,000 on his last charge (per the linked story). I'm willing to bet it will be a bit higher this time.
The court system is not working in our society's
best interest if they keep on releasing a guy like this. It would appear he was essentially getting a slap on the wrist for his previous gun charges.
Well
According to a different anon, the earlier charges didn't stick. So there wasn't even probation. Perhaps if the police or DA's office did a better job of constructing a case, he might not have been on the street. Conversely, perhaps if he wasn't arrested without cause in the cases cited above, there would be nothing for you to complain about.
That said, I've seen nothing other than the anon's comment that says the case even went to trial, so let me once again direct people to information on bail in Massachusetts.
He was arrested, but not
He was arrested, but not convicted. Went to trial last fall, DA's office didn't have conclusive proof that it was his firearm; case was largely circumstantial, and it just wasn't strong enough.
Adam: worth correcting here that they wanted to press the armed career criminal enhancement, but it was never actually applied because he was not convicted in the first place. Does have prior convictions, but "armed career criminal" is a very specific legal category in MA that isn't at stake here. Happy to discuss more if you shoot an email over.
Why do people drive around with their doors unlocked?
My parents taught me to always have my car doors locked when driving, especially in urban areas. Seems like a common sense safety precaution.
"especially in urban areas"
*Hard Eyeroll*
trying not to pick on you
couple things here that stand out... that could be re-thought.
victim blaming (that gun doesn't care about a locked door)
besmirching the city (many really like living here and the diversity it offers is good for us all)
better question
Why do people walk around with guns, or appearing to indicate having a gun? Maybe that's where the fault lies, not with the driver and passenger..?
But sure, car doors and whatnot. You know windows have this thing where they can be broken right?
I wasn't victim blaming or besmirching Boston
The reason I said urban areas, was because when you're racing down a highway or driving through empty countryside you aren't going to be stopping for red lights and therefore at danger of having someone jump in your car. My comment had nothing to do with the demographics of urban areas - after all, there are some very well-off areas of Boston, too.
And my question wasn't meant to victim-blame but ask a serious question. Just as I don't understand the people I know who don't lock their car doors at night (in urban or suburban areas). I'd really like to understand the reasoning.
I grew up in a large city and it's automatic for me to lock my doors whenever I get in the car or when I leave it.
How does one become a career
How does one become a career criminal? Does the government include a path to this among its numerous jobs training programs?
It takes conviction
Every time you get convicted of particular violent or gun-related offenses, you get the designation, and the increased recognition (I think there are three levels). By itself, it's not something you'd get arrested for, but if you're arrested for one of the specific offenses, it lets prosecutors ask for a longer sentence than the base crime would normally carry.
Skin color and...
socioeconomics is usually an easy way to determine if one is deemed worthy of the title. Not race baiting or poor us factor it's just statistical facts due to prevalent, institutional racism.