Parents calling for systemic reform after son killed in crash by driver out on multiple felonies
Nicole Byrd and Jackie Peer are suffering after their son was killed in a car crash on Oct. 5″I miss his smile. I miss sitting in the back talking to him, late at night,” Peer said. “Just missing his growth as a person, you know. Seeing the different stages and now not being able to see what was coming next for him. I just miss my son.””He just was so silly and funny and he would bring out the goofiness in both of us,” Byrd said. Their son Danari Peer died Oct. 5 in a car crash. His friend Jaiquann McMurtry was driving.Police say McMurtry was racing another car on Appleton Avenue near Lancaster, crashing into a tree at 109 miles per hour. Peer died from blunt force trauma.”Every day I usually tell him, ‘I love you, Pooh,’ or say, ‘Pooh I love you,’ but I just can’t remember if I said that to him,” Byrd said, crying. At the time of the crash, records show McMurtry was already charged with felonies in three separate cases involving guns or cocaine possession.In those cases, the judge granted a $1,000r signature bond and a $500 cash bond. The DA’s office tells us its prosecutors recommended a higher bail amount than the judge ultimately set.After the fatal crash, the DA charged McMurtry with second-degree reckless homicide, which he recommended and the judge granted $50,000 bail. Records show McMurtry posted that bail one week later.”You’re giving this person chance after chance after chance and he’s shown you he’s reckless in his behavior and he doesn’t abide by the laws,” Peer said. Peer’s family said the entire system is failing and calls for top-down reform. “I’m going to be honest with you, I definitely, wholeheartedly blame attorney Chisolm’s office for this,” Byrd said. “They’re either giving someone probation or no time at all. It’s ridiculous,” Byrd said. “This is a problem other families have reached out to us of going through something very similar, where the bail was set so low, $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 where these people are back out on the streets within a matter of hours or days.” “Of course, we want justice for Danari, but this isn’t going to stop once Danari’s case is closed,” Peer said. “We’re going to keep pushing. We can’t keep allowing families to go through this.”The DA’s office told WISN 12 News it’s the judge or commissioner in each case who determines bail amounts. The DA can simply offer recommendations.Chief Judge Mary Triggiano told WISN 12 News the courts cannot comment on pending cases.
MILWAUKEE —
Nicole Byrd and Jackie Peer are suffering after their son was killed in a car crash on Oct. 5
“I miss his smile. I miss sitting in the back talking to him, late at night,” Peer said. “Just missing his growth as a person, you know. Seeing the different stages and now not being able to see what was coming next for him. I just miss my son.”
“He just was so silly and funny and he would bring out the goofiness in both of us,” Byrd said.
Their son Danari Peer died Oct. 5 in a car crash. His friend Jaiquann McMurtry was driving.
Police say McMurtry was racing another car on Appleton Avenue near Lancaster, crashing into a tree at 109 miles per hour. Peer died from blunt force trauma.
“Every day I usually tell him, ‘I love you, Pooh,’ or say, ‘Pooh I love you,’ but I just can’t remember if I said that to him,” Byrd said, crying.
At the time of the crash, records show McMurtry was already charged with felonies in three separate cases involving guns or cocaine possession.
In those cases, the judge granted a $1,000r signature bond and a $500 cash bond. The DA’s office tells us its prosecutors recommended a higher bail amount than the judge ultimately set.
After the fatal crash, the DA charged McMurtry with second-degree reckless homicide, which he recommended and the judge granted $50,000 bail.
Records show McMurtry posted that bail one week later.
“You’re giving this person chance after chance after chance and he’s shown you he’s reckless in his behavior and he doesn’t abide by the laws,” Peer said.
Peer’s family said the entire system is failing and calls for top-down reform.
“I’m going to be honest with you, I definitely, wholeheartedly blame attorney Chisolm’s office for this,” Byrd said.
“They’re either giving someone probation or no time at all. It’s ridiculous,” Byrd said. “This is a problem other families have reached out to us of going through something very similar, where the bail was set so low, $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 where these people are back out on the streets within a matter of hours or days.”
“Of course, we want justice for Danari, but this isn’t going to stop once Danari’s case is closed,” Peer said. “We’re going to keep pushing. We can’t keep allowing families to go through this.”
The DA’s office told WISN 12 News it’s the judge or commissioner in each case who determines bail amounts. The DA can simply offer recommendations.
Chief Judge Mary Triggiano told WISN 12 News the courts cannot comment on pending cases.
