This Letter to the Editor was published in The Columbus Dispatch.

The recent shooting in the Mall at Tuttle Crossing is another tragic reminder that pre-trial bail alone cannot keep communities safe from violent offenders.

The alleged killer, Tyrone Gray, was released from custody after he posted just 10% of his $50,000 bail. Upon release, he was re-arrested for allegedly threatening witnesses.

Those who pose a clear danger to our neighborhoods should not be allowed simply to buy their way out of jail before trial.

Ohio voters will have something to say about this issue in November, but even if they approve the ballot issue and grant judges broader discretion to impose pre-trial bail for public safety, more reforms will still be needed.

Ohio law should expand the authorization of judges to use “preventative detention” to detain violent criminals without bail. Bipartisan legislation pending in the General Assembly, House Bill 315 and Senate Bill 182, would make many more violent crimes eligible for no-bail detention hearings, and hand Ohio courts a much better tool for ensuring the public’s safety.

Alan B. Smith, The Buckeye Institute, Columbus