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San Francisco District Attorney Criticized for Failure to Prosecute Paroled Criminal

4 mins read

The president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) Union, Tony Montoya, said that the district attorney was responsible for the case of a hit-and-run that killed two women when repeat offender Troy McAlister drove a stolen vehicle and ran over the pedestrians.

Failure to prosecute

Many are criticizing the DA for the New Year’s Eve incident in San Francisco, arguing it could have been prevented. The suspect, McAlister, was out on parole during the time of the incident.

McAlister had a long history of crime and has been arrested several times in San Francisco since April 10, 2020. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin had been known to refer cases of repeat offenders to parole instead of prosecution.

During an interview on Sunday, ABC7 News anchor Dion Lim asked Boudin: “They (the CDCA) provided you all the details to revoke bail, but yet you chose to do nothing. Why are you blaming the parole officer instead of taking direct accountability here?”

Boudin responded by saying, “This is not about blaming parole. This about recognizing there are numerous law enforcement agencies. And we all have to depend on each other for doing their job properly.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said that none of McAlister’s arrests after he was released in 2020 have resulted in criminal charges by the DA. Boudin also criticized the Daly City Police, saying the incident on December 29, 2020, where the suspect stole the vehicle of a woman he was on a date with, was their responsibility.

Boudin said, “They were aware he was a parolee, they had his address, his phone number, and most importantly, they knew he had a firearm in his possession. And instead of trying to arrest him or notifying the parole officer, they wrote in their report that they intended to wait until January 3rd, today. By today it’s too late.”

Standard procedure

Daly City Police officials responded by saying what their officers did was according to standard operating procedures. They added that what Boudin referred to as the January 3rd date was an expiration date for follow-up.

Sergeant Marion Busalacchi addressed Boudin’s comments and told Dion that: “We went above and beyond what’s normally conducted for a vehicle theft report. At such an early phase, it’s not usual for our investigators or patrol officers to contact parole.” He also argued against Boudin’s criticism of the SFPD about their failure to coordinate with parole about the suspect’s previous cases, ABC7 News reported.

Montoya noted that if the DA had done their job properly, McAlister would have been under police custody, and none of the victimized families would be grieving for their loved ones’ deaths. He also confirmed that the SFPD correctly followed procedures and protocols regarding the suspect’s case.

On Monday, Boudin announced multiple filings of felony charges against McAlister, adding that the Daly City Police, San Francisco Police, Parole, and his office were all partly responsible for letting the suspect roam free and harming innocent civilians.

Danielle Joyce Ong

Danielle is a local journalist with a passion for exploring stories related to crime and politics. When Danielle isn't busy writing or reading, she is usually exploring the great outdoors and all the hiking trails in the Bay.

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