DA Quinn Slams Judge Over Bail for Armed Repeat Offender

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III is once again criticizing a local judge for releasing a repeat offender when the Commonwealth had requested he be held and his bail revoked.

DA Quinn Criticizes Bail Decision

Quinn said there was “no rational basis” for Judge Joseph P. Harrington, Jr. to release Jose Mendonca on $2,500 bail following a dangerousness hearing on March 16 in New Bedford District Court.

It comes just a few days after Quinn issued a similar statement when a man charged with assaulting the mother of his child was also released on $2,500 bail by Judge Sarah Jubinville.

READ MORE: Quinn Slams Judge Over Release of Stabbing Suspect

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Details of the Gun Arrest in New Bedford

Mendonca was arraigned on charges of carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of ammunition without an FID card stemming from a March 15 incident in New Bedford. He was allegedly caught by New Bedford Police with a loaded firearm, while he had a pending drug case and was on probation for a previous drug case.

The Commonwealth requested the dangerousness hearing, arguing Mendonca should be held without bail, and that his bail for the pending drug case should be revoked. The New Bedford District Court probation department also requested to have Mendonca detained on his probation case.

Judge Sets Bail Despite Requests for Detention

Judge Harrington denied those requests, and set bail at $2,500 along with GPS monitoring, home confinement and other conditions.

READ MORE: Bristol County DA Quinn Won't Seek Re-Election

Quinn, who announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election, once again spoke out against the court.

Quinn Warns of Public Safety Risks

"This is another example of the court releasing a dangerous defendant who is caught with a loaded gun out on the street. He is on probation for possession of drugs and in addition has a pending drug case,” Quinn said.

“There appears to be no rational basis to release this defendant who has already been warned by the court that his bail would be revoked if he committed a new offense,” he said. “These types of decisions undermine the integrity of the judicial system, and people’s confidence that they are being protected from dangerous defendants.”