Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday lambasted the release of a Louisville City Council candidate suspected of shooting at a local politician after his bail was posted by the local Black Lives Matter chapter.
“On Monday, my hometown of Louisville was stunned by what appears to have been an assassination attempt against a Jewish mayoral candidate by a prominent far-left activist who’d previously called for defunding our police department,” McConnell said while on the Senate floor on Thursday. “But guess what: He’s already been let out of jail.”
“Less than 48 hours after this activist tried to literally murder a politician, the radical left bailed their comrade out of jail,” he continued. “It is just jaw-dropping. The innocent people of Louisville deserve better.”
McConnell argued that there was a double-standard in media coverage when it comes to suspected criminals from different political backgrounds.
“Now, I’m confident that if an activist claiming to be conservative tried to assassinate a politician, whatever his mental state, the media would open a 24-7 ‘national conversation’ about rhetoric on the right,” said McConnell. “Somehow I doubt attempted murder by a BLM activist will get that treatment.”
Quintez Brown was charged with one count of attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment earlier this week after allegedly attempting to shoot Democratic Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg. According to Greenberg, only his sweater was grazed and no one else was physically harmed.
Brown was apprehended shortly after the shooting and was found to have a loaded handgun and additional magazine in his possession.
As The Louisville Courier-Journal reported, Brown’s bail was posted by the Louisville Community Bail Fund, an organization that raises bail funds for defendants in criminal trials and connects them with pretrial resources. Judge Annette Karem had set Brown’s bail at $100,000 on Tuesday.
After his release, Brown, 21, will be subject to home incarceration, the newspaper reported. Brown previously worked as an intern and opinion writer for the Courier-Journal.
Brown has pleaded not guilty. His attorney Rob Eggert told the Courier-Journal that Brown is “severely mentally ill and needs treatment, not prison.” According to the attorney, Brown appears to have suffered a “a mental health breakdown and hasn’t slept for days or weeks.”
Black Lives Matter-Louisville organizer Chanelle Helm confirmed to the Courier-Journal that the Louisville Community Bail Fund had posted Brown’s bail.
“We got a lot of money in 2020. We’re doing exactly what we would do for anyone else in this situation,” Helm said.
According to Helm, Brown is a part of the Black Lives Matter-Louisville community.
Greenberg also spoke out against Brown’s release on Thursday, saying that if he is suffering from a mental health issue, then he should be treated while in custody.
“Our criminal justice system is clearly broken. It is nearly impossible to believe that someone can attempt murder on Monday and walk out of jail on Wednesday,” Greenberg said on Twitter.
“Sadly, like others who suffer from a broken system, my team and family have been traumatized again by this news,” he added. “Regardless of what leads someone to commit a violent crime, there must be consequences. Gun violence is unacceptable under any circumstances for any reason anywhere.”