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Newark Today Tackles Bail Reform Ahead of Major Changes in Domestic Violence Cases

Alexandra Hill
/
News

Essex County has launched a pilot program, one week after a woman was gunned down in Newark, that will help determine whether a domestic violence suspect is freed or remains in jail. The county assigned one judge to handle all domestic violence cases instead of letting other judges rule on the cases at random. The man suspected of killing 28 year old Tiffany Wilson was released twice on domestic violence charges pending trial. Wilson's killing drew a poignant response from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who issued a written statement blaming bail reform laws for putting Kareem Dawson back on the street. 

The incident also prompted WBGO News to focus on bail reform on last night’s  Newark Today live show from Express Newark in the Hahne and Company Building.  

Baraka was joined by criminal justice experts and domestic violence advocates including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Seton hall law professor Jessica Miles, Essex County Public Defender Bill Fitzsimmons, Survive To Thrive Global Founder Chrissy Monroe, and Alexander Shalom with the ACLU. 

Alexandra Hill began her work with WBGO in June of 2012 in the news department. A graduate of the Rutgers Newark journalism program, Alexandra was also a student of WBGO News Director Doug Doyle. Alexandra has since become the lead general assignment reporter, afternoon news anchor, and producer of the award winning live call in show Newark Today. Since working for WBGO Alexandra has covered politics in and around Newark including the 2014 mayoral campaign of Mayor Ras Baraka as well as the senate campaigns of former Newark Mayor and now U.S. Senator Cory Booker in both 2013 and 2014. Alexandra also covers a host of human-interest stories, and has been recognized by the New York Association Of Black Journalists for her piece entitled Sheltering Newark’s Homeless.