There are more people charged with homicide released on bail in Anchorage than the number of homicides reported in 2023.
People charged with homicide, released in Anchorage on bail, exceeds number of homicides reported in 2023Published: Oct. 17, 2023 at 9:00 PM AKDTANCHORAGE, Alaska - There have been more than 100 people charged with homicide in Anchorage who have not yet completed the entire court process, creating a long backlog of cases for the court system.
“I can understand why it’s concerning for any member of the public to hear those sorts of numbers,” said McKay, who supervises the Major Crimes Unit at the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office. “Without knowing the specifics of those 21 cases that are out on conditions of release, I don’t think it’s any cause to panic.”
The Alaska Constitution requires judges to offer bail on all cases except when someone violates their probation or the case falls under federal court. There are also statutes that outline what the court considers when determining conditions of release. The 21 people charged with homicide who are out on bail are among 104 pending homicide defendants across 90 homicide events, McKay said.
The backlog isn’t as high this year as it was last year, McKay said, as his office is currently resolving more homicide cases than it is accumulating them.