Miami Beach leaders want to elect judges after man accused of pointing a gun at official escapes house arrest
MIAMI - Miami Beach city officials are calling for changes to the judicial system as authorities search for a suspect who escaped house arrest.
Christopher Pitre, 35, was arrested in April after authorities said he pointed a gun at Miami Beach Commissioner Joseph Magazine and stole a litany of items from cars and businesses.
On Tuesday, Pitre escaped house arrest, prompting city leaders, including Magazine, to blame the Miami-Dade County court system for allowing his escape.
Here's why Miami Beach city leaders are frustrated with how Pitre's case was handled.
Slew of burglaries
Before his April 15 arrest, Pitre was involved in several related burglaries weeks before across Miami Beach, according to police.
Between March 20 and April 10, Pitre allegedly broke into several cars and businesses, and police say he stole a number of items, including:
- E-bike and bicycle
- Cash
- Food
- Car
- Backpack
- Parking passes
- Silver bracelet and necklace
- Pills
- Driver's licenses
- Social Security cards
The confrontation
Just before 6 a.m. on April 11, Pitre was seen on security video entering Magazine's unlocked car inside a secured parking garage on West Avenue in Miami Beach. Once inside, he ransacked the car and rifled through Magazine's vehicle registration and other personal items before falling asleep, the arrest form said.
About two hours later, Magazine is seen walking toward his car and opening the driver's side door, only to find Pitre sleeping inside. Pitre then jumped out of Magazine's car and headed for the garage's exit, to which Magazine followed while dialing 911.
Once outside, Magazine continued following Pitre, telling him to stop. At this moment, Pitre allegedly turned around and pointed a gun at the commissioner, telling him to back off, before walking around the sidewalk, reentering the garage and leaving the same way he entered on a black and gold electric scooter.
Police then arrived at the scene and spoke with Magazine, doing a walkthrough of the garage and gathering evidence. A flyer was then created and distributed among Miami Beach Police officers.
Four days later, a Miami Beach Police officer found Pitre riding the scooter along Meridian Avenue and attempted to stop him to confirm his identity. Police said Pitre reached for his gun before the officer stopped him entirely.
Police then called Magazine to the scene and confirmed Pitre's identity. Pitre was then taken to the Miami Beach Police Department for questioning.
Police said after being read his Miranda rights, Pitre confessed to all the burglaries, including Magazine's incident, and was then charged. During a routine background check, police also learned that Pitre had multiple felony convictions out of Texas and Alabama, the arrest form said.
Pitre was booked into TGK on multiple counts of burglary, auto theft and aggravated assault with a firearm.
Transfer and escape
Prosecutors did not want Pitre released from jail until his trial but a judge released him with a court-ordered ankle monitor.
"It is our point of view that the extensive list of charges and prior criminal history, the defendant merited remaining in custody," the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office said in a statement.
Pitre was later admitted to New Hope C.O.R.P.S. in Homestead, a mental health and substance use treatment center.
Pitre was able to remove his ankle monitor and left the treatment center on Tuesday, forcing police to find him again.
As of Thursday afternoon, Pitre was still on the run.
Demand for justice
On Wednesday, Miami Beach city leaders held a press conference to vent their frustrations with the Miami-Dade judicial system.
Miami Beach Mayor Stephen Meiner said he wants the city to elect its own judges to handle crime, pointing to other recent cases involving released offenders. One such case involved a man beating Andrea Dos Passos, a transgender woman struggling with homelessness, to death as she slept outside the Miami Ballet in April. Her attacker was on probation for other crimes.
"To various legislators in Tallahassee, to the governor, this is time that in Miami Beach we had our own Miami Beach elected judges," he said.
He and others blamed county courts for allowing violent offenders to leave jail and hurt new victims.
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones called the county courts "an engine of crime."
"There is something very wrong," said Miami Beach resident Jo Manning. "Let's leave the forgiveness to Jesus, okay? Let's put these people where they belong."
For Magazine, it is simple: He wants Pitre caught and someone held accountable in his case and others like it.
"Mister Mayor I appreciate the effort you want to make in giving us our own judges in Miami Beach and it's a strong idea but who is going to elect them," State Representative Fabian Basabe of District 106, which includes Miami Beach, asked during the press conference. "Does that further push the problem to the next city? The problem is failure to prosecute and hold repeat offenders liable. Judges are an even bigger problem. They want to legislate from the bench instead of applying the laws the people elected me to pass. We don't have a Police or Law problem. We have a Judge and Prosecutor problem. If not for the position of power Mr Magazine has this would not come to light. It happens to our citizens every day and they have no voice but an elected official of influence willing to stand up to the establishment and do their job - to do right by people!"
"I always replay that situation in my head and it breaks my heart," Magazine said.