Bail Blotter: Is Bail System Open to Abuse?

• July 23, 2012
• by AboutBail Staff
• In the News

Each week AboutBail combs the web for the latest and most interesting industry news stories to bring you the Weekly Bail Blotter.

Immigrants and Bondsmen

DALLAS, TX – The Dallas Morning News has been investigating the uneasy relationship between undocumented immigrants and Texas bondsmen. Since 2009, Dallas County has made new rules to prevent undocumented immigrants from posting bond and disappearing or being deported before their trial date. As a result, bond amounts for undocumented immigrants have been on the rise. Some bondsmen are reportedly taking large amounts of money from undocumented immigrants and their families trying to post bail, even in cases where federal authorities or county authorities block the release of these defendants and do not permit them to post bail. According to the Dallas Morning News, in 2010 and part of 2011 there were 170 cases of bail bonds posted in felony cases with an immigration hold. In about 100 of these instances, bonds were written the same day or after the immigration hold was placed. In 55 instances, the bonds were written at least 24 hours after the immigration hold – when bondsmen likely knew that a hold was in place. In about 20 cases, defendants stayed in jail even after paying a bondsman. In some cases, families did not have their money returned by the bondsmen.

To read the full article, click here.

Zimmerman's Bail is $1 Million

SANFORD, FL – George Zimmerman, accused of murder, has had his bail set at $1 million and can be free from jail as soon as he posts bond. His original $150,000 bail was revoked in early June, after Zimmerman misled a judge about the state of his financial situation. According to reports, Zimmerman likely has enough to pay a Florida bondsman 10% of the million-dollar bond. He allegedly has collected more than $210,000 through a defense fund. It is expected that Zimmerman will go into hiding once he does post bail. Zimmerman is accused of killing teenager Trayvon Martin. 

To read the full article, click here.

Bail for a Good Cause

HARRISON, AR – The Boone County Fairgrounds had a unique fundraiser recently – the football team was “incarcerated” at a corral dubbed “Grandma’s Jail” and participants could pay cash to bail them out. Harrison police officers kept an eye on the “defendants.” Among the donors was bondsman Craig Campbell. Money from the event went to Grandma’s House, an organization dedicated to children’s advocacy. Bail is usually a very serious matter, so it was fun for everyone involved to see a light-hearted take on the matter to raise money for charity. 

To read the full article, click here.

Is Bail System Open to Abuse?

DALLAS, TX – Tarrant County authorities have a policy of not accepting bail on behalf of a defendant who has had an immigration hold placed on them, since that person cannot be released. The jail administrator in Tarrant County checks to make sure that a defendant does not have an immigration hold on them when a defendant tries to post bail. However, not all counties have similar policies and according to a Dallas Morning News article, that has resulted in 20 people in an 18-month period paying bail and not being released due to an immigration hold. In some cases, the defendants were not able to recover all their money. According to some experts, the fact that bail can be posted for those who have an immigration hold placed on them, preventing their release, means that the bail system is open to abuse.  

To read the full article, click here.

Bondsman Charged with Bribery

PORTSMOUTH, VA – Ulysses Stephenson Jr., a Virginia bondman, has been charged with bribing a Portsmouth Sheriff's Office sergeant and a local magistrate in an effort to bolster business. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and is scheduled to plead guilty in court. According to court records, magistrate Deborah Clark allegedly took bribes from the bondsman from 2009 through 2012, offering referrals for cash. She has already plead guilty and has a sentencing hearing in October. 

To read the full article, click here.

Arrests Made After Bounty Hunters Surrounded

COLUMBUS, GA – An altercation occurred recently when bounty hunters were searching for a fugitive. A group of up to 30 people surrounded the bounty hunters and tried to prevent an arrest as the bail recovery agents tried to apprehend a fugitive. LaKeysha Hill and her young brother were arrested in the incident. 

To read the full article, click here. 

For more bail news highlights, click here to check out the in-the-news archives.