BREAKING NEWS – Richmond, Virginia – Virginia Democrats are proposing a long list of criminal justice reforms in response to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, but while some of them – such as banning chokeholds – are aimed at protecting citizens, at least one measure could reduce protection for officers. According to a document shared by multiple local reporters and retweeted by the Virginia Senate Democrats, the proposals include downgrading the charge of assault on a police officer from a felony to a misdemeanor. In addition to that, they want handcuffs banned, and instead tell any suspects that’s under arrest to keep their hands pockets until they arrive at the police station and placed in an unlocked cell. But the most controversial change the Virginia Senate Democrats wanted, is that an officer cannot fire their weapon, until a suspect has fired at the officer with at least three near misses.
