City Leaders Discuss Mandatory Sentencing For Illegal Gun Possession

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- In a drastic move to reduce gun violence, Baltimore City Council introduces a measure that would automatically send suspects to jail for a year if they're caught with an illegal handgun.

This is a response from the city's leadership as Baltimore struggles to control crime, but there's skepticism if this is a good idea.

As Baltimore's murder rate continues to surge, City leaders took a drastic step Monday night. The Council introduced a bill that would give mandatory one-year sentences to anyone convicted of carrying an illegal handgun.

"If it hits your family you want the maximum amount of time served," says Baltimore Council President, Jack Young

"Cause we have a crisis in the city right now and people are getting murdered and we need to do something about it," says Eric Costello, District 11.

The bill has support from the Mayor and police commissioner.

There's been more than 185 homicides so far this year.

"What this is about is holding accountable the people who illegally carry guns and shoot and kill people in our city," says Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis.

"I think they should actually look at a person's background, their criminal record and stuff like that. The should make a right decision on what they should impose," says Les Whitehead.

"What's one year? I think one year is good. That will discipline them, hopefully, that will discipline them."

Hassan Giordano with the NAACP is concerned this law would unfairly target black communities if it passes.

"We believe it's a reactionary policy aimed at just making people feel good and feel safe, but at the end of the day it does nothing to get more guns off the street," says NAACP Criminal Justice Chaur Hassan Giordano.

"So what we are looking at is a dragnet approach when we really should be trying to look at the nuisances of every situation that could come before our judiciary system," says Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, District 8

This bill was just introduced here at city hall Monday night and now go through a process before it even becomes law, which includes a public hearing next Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Now the proposal states carrying an illegal handgun would be prohibited within one-hundred yards of places of "public assembly" which includes schools, churches, and parks.

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