Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez was “shocked” by the release of a man who punched an older Pearl woman near the Metropolitan Condominiums on July 11, knocking her to the sidewalk and breaking her nose.
“The fact that this individual committed this crime and then was released outraged me.”
Vasquez’s dismay was compounded when the suspect, Eder Ruizhernadez, 40, was arrested again for vandalizing windows on July 29, and again released the same day.
The decisions to release Ruizhernadez were made by a presiding judge following protocols that Vasquez said should revised to allow more flexibility in cases such as this.
“I am looking at any way I can to stop this behavior,” he said.
One of the problems in the current system is that a punch, even one causing injury, can be charged as Assault IV, which is only a misdemeanor not automatically calling for holding the suspect. Repeat offenses do not factor in unless they occur within 24 hours of the first crime.
Vasquez also noted that he requested additional funding to ensure that suspects are not released for lack of jail space, a request that the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners rejected.
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