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Democrats and the media like to talk about how the enhanced earned sentence credits are giving people second chances, but they’re not talking about how more Virginians are being victimized by some of these violent felons.

In 2023, 2,725 enhanced earned sentence credit offenders were rearrested for new crimes, including three capital murders, eight first degree murders, four second degree murders, 48 abductions, and 28 rapes and other felony sexual assaults.

1,334 offenders released on enhanced earned sentence credits in 2023 have been convicted of a new crime or probation violation.

The Department of Corrections has identified at least four homicides that were allegedly committed by people who — if not for enhanced credits — would have still been in jail at the time of the killings.

Mark Weiss was released early from prison in 2022 and was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in January 2023.

He is alleged to have killed Johnny Thomas, 52, of Pulaski, and Jamie Frazier, 25, of Dublin. Without enhanced credits, he would have been in prison until October 2023.

Marvin Moody, 40, of Glen Allen, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the alleged killing of his father and brother, Albert Moody, Jr., age 70, and his brother Malcolm Moody, age 38.

The accused killer was released from prison early due to enhanced sentence credits. He was not scheduled to be out until 2025.

If not for those credits, he would not have been able to kill his father and brother.

Democrats fought for these changes over these very objections from Republicans.

There is a definite and needed place for mercy in our justice system. But we cannot release felons early if it means that innocent Virginians will die.

TOUGH TIMES

Democrats spent the better part of last week crowing about the latest inflation numbers — down to just under 3%.

What they fail to recognize, though, is that prices are still sky high and still hurting families.

From groceries to rent, Virginians are being squeezed from all sides.

Vice President Harris has put forward several plans to make the situation better. All of them will make the situation worse.

A $25,000 tax credit for first time home buyers will simply drive up the cost of housing as demand increases without a supply increase.

Her attack on “price gouging” would put Washington in charge of what grocery stores can charge.

Virginians are hurting, and Democrats have no plan to help.

DEL. TOMMY WRIGHT can be reached via email at DelTWright@House.Virginia.gov or (804) 698-1061