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Committee advances 'Preston's Law' to raise penalty for attacks by multiple assailants after high‑profile mob attack
Summary
House Bill 2611 would make assault aided by two or more accomplices a class 4 felony. Supporters — including prosecutors and police chiefs — said the measure addresses coordinated attacks that prosecutors struggle to charge under current law; critics warned the language could be overbroad and sweep mutual group fights into felonies.
House Bill 2611, described in committee as “Preston’s Law,” would expand aggravated‑assault law to treat an assault on a person "if the assailant is aided by two or more accomplices" as a class 4 felony. The committee voted 5–4 to advance the bill after extensive testimony on prosecutorial limits and risks of overbroad application.
Background and purpose Sponsor Representative Gress framed the bill as a response to a series of violent group attacks culminating in the fatal beating of a 16‑year‑old, Preston Lord. Prosecutors and police said current law sometimes leaves prosecutors unable to secure felony charges when a group targets and overwhelms a single victim. The bill would mirror existing language in aggravated‑robbery statutes to recognize group assaults as more culpable.
Supporters’ testimony Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (presenting via her office staff) and Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Bryce testified the change would give prosecutors a clearer tool to charge dangerous coordinated assaults and deter mob‑style violence. Chief Bryce said law enforcement encounters escalating group attack behavior that is “astounding and disturbing” and urged statutory powers to address it.
Opposition and concerns Defense attorneys and criminal‑justice organizations argued the proposal is redundant with existing accomplice‑liability provisions and could criminalize mutual group fights common among teenagers, turning many participants into felons. Pamela Hicks and Catherine Bradshaw, defense practitioners, recommended narrowing language or adding guardrails to avoid criminalizing consensual or mutual group altercations.
Committee action and vote After more than an hour of testimony and multiple members expressing concerns about overbreadth and juvenile consequences, the committee voted 5 ayes, 4 nays to advance HB 2611. Several members asked the sponsor and county attorney’s office to work on narrowing language and possible floor amendments.
Ending: The measure advances to the floor with outstanding disagreements over drafting scope. Supporters say it fills a prosecutorial gap for targeted group violence; opponents urge careful narrowing to avoid unintended consequences for juveniles and mutual brawls.
