tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post2004790549309430028..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Kerr County Sheriff defends jail bond vote; Grits respondsGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-77573260995472039722015-01-24T15:16:24.095-06:002015-01-24T15:16:24.095-06:00The problem is with the "Prosecutors & Ju...The problem is with the "Prosecutors & Judges".<br /><br />If there has been no harm or damage and this harm or damage is not witnessed and there is no Claimant other than 3rd party - there is no case!<br /><br />The State cannot take the stand.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-34303924284310385612015-01-23T07:40:16.557-06:002015-01-23T07:40:16.557-06:00Pretrial detention seems to be the driver of most,...Pretrial detention seems to be the driver of most, if not all of the so called overcrowding at the county jails. If Kerr County has two district attorneys, and 8 prosecutors, yet only average 1 felony trial a month, then the problem lies at the doorsteps of the DA's. Which goes back to what I have said all along is part of what is wrong in Texas. The DA's who are elected want to come across as being "hard on crime", so they use the jails as a means to force pretrial inmates to accept ridiculous plea deals to keep their conviction rate up. Perhaps it's time the lege weighed in on this by mandating that defendants be afforded their right to a speedy trial within a set time frame or be released. I would like for some legal beagle to explain to me how to justify holding someone for upwards of two years on pretrial, often times for relatively minor offenses. I seriously doubt any one can other than it is the prerogative of the DA to bring a case to trial, and in most cases, not in a timely manner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54544272499737246442015-01-22T08:46:20.911-06:002015-01-22T08:46:20.911-06:00Bullseye on this issue. Pretrial detention is the ...Bullseye on this issue. Pretrial detention is the driver of Kerr County's jail population and is directly related to the district attorneys' use of pretrial detention as punishment in lieu of trying cases. On average, less than 1 felony trial occurs per month in Kerr County, even more shocking when you consider that Kerr County overlaps with two district attorneys who collectively employ 8 prosecutors. Instead, Kerr County prosecutors regularly leave pretrial inmates sitting in jail until enough time has lapsed to offer a "time served" plea bargain. With few cases brought to trial, high bonds and pretrial detention have become the routine punishment in Kerr County.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51978036597294638542015-01-22T08:37:50.308-06:002015-01-22T08:37:50.308-06:00Kerr County voters need to be schooled in the less...Kerr County voters need to be schooled in the lesson offered by Smith County: your assertion that "if you build it, they will come is absolutely true. Smith county's jail was full again almost immediately after their last major jail expansion in the mid 1980's. Additions to the minimum/medium security facility in to ealry '90s are already inadequate. County tax increases in the past few years have largely been driven by jail-building, plus other irresponsible spending on the part of county leaders. So now we're looking at a $33Million dollar debt in a county that otherwise will not incur debt for anything else, including much-needed infrastructure improvements. I think you're right, Grits, you liberal devil: once new jail beds are built, there is no longer an incentive for courts and prosecutors to use that resource wisely, and many go back to the "lock-em all up" mentality that led to jail overcrowding in the first place!<br /><br />Beware, voters of Kerr County! Don't end up like the hapless sheeple of Smith County!Joorie Doodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12711770130122160427noreply@blogger.com