In a Wednesday visit to the state's capital, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions specifically targeted a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that he says allowed more than 1,400 violent criminals to be released, including 18 in Arkansas.
The 2015 decision, which ruled that the definition of a violent felon in the Armed Career Criminal Act was too vague, in part re-categorized many offenders as non-violent — particularly those charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In front of a room of law enforcement officers and politicians, Sessions argued Wednesday that the law's real consequence was to release violent offenders back into the community.
"Releasing repeat offenders has consequences," Sessions said. "Every crime committed by a recidivist released by this court case would not have happened. Every one of their victims would not have been victimized."
Sessions said at least eight people were released in Little Rock alone and that more than 42 percent of released offenders have been arrested again since the 2015 ruling. Sessions called on local officials, state legislators and members of Congress to vie for a fix to the law,
The attorney general did not take questions at the event. He also did not address a Wednesday tweet by President Donald Trump that called on him to end the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's intervention into U.S. elections.
Sessions and Mick Zais, U.S. deputy secretary of education, also will make a stop Wednesday afternoon at Lake Hamilton High School in Pearcy, which is near Hot Springs in Garland County.
Check back for updates on this developing story and read Thursday's Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.