tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post923200912862837657..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Cry me a river: Weaning time for Harris County bail bondsmenGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54239844583809747582011-09-26T18:26:24.401-05:002011-09-26T18:26:24.401-05:00Bondsmen in our area love to write bonds for illeg...Bondsmen in our area love to write bonds for illegals that also have an ICE hold on them. They take the money and the accused is never released and he quits getting credit for his pretrial detention because he is technically on bond.<br /><br />There is something horribly unfair about a system that allows the abuses that we all know occur to folks that we claim to be protected by the presumption of innocence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-11897398976401416292011-09-26T12:22:43.324-05:002011-09-26T12:22:43.324-05:00I find it amusing that the Google Adwords ad on th...I find it amusing that the Google Adwords ad on the bottom of the website (at least on my computer) says, "Become A Bondsman".Kevin Stouwiehttp://www.texasparoleattorney.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-37681282430287840752011-09-26T10:51:55.623-05:002011-09-26T10:51:55.623-05:00Although this bond problem has been going on in Ha...Although this bond problem has been going on in Harris County for a long time, it got significantly worse when the "Republican sweep" came through the Harris County Criminal Court system in the '80's. With 22 Felony Courts, and 15 Misdemeanor Courts, at one time we had approximately 85% of the Judges handling criminal cases in Harris County that had little, if any, experience in representing individuals accused of criminal offenses. For most, it was a three stage process, 1) go to law school, 2) go to work for the DA's Office, 3) get appointed Judge! Or, in a few cases, leave the DA's Office for a SHORT period of time, usually taking court appointments from their other ex-DA Judges until the Democrat on the bench's term expired, then run for that bench. They claimed their extensive "trial experience" and "tough on crime" and "law and order" stance to get them elected. Many of the judges never "left the DA's office" even after they became Judges. It was, and often IS, strikingly apparent when one observed the evidentiary rulings and what items were admitted, or sustained, and what were excluded, or overruled. A Court Trial was completely out of the question. Motions to Suppress were a joke in many Courts. One Judge was said to have been overheard in one of their "Judges Meetings" when the current law on Suppressions was being presented to them by the Judge's Lawyer, Marshal Chelsey, the Judge said "I've never granted a Motion to Suppress, and don't intend to start now!" Other Courts refused to grant probation without jail time as a condition. But, I digress. Back to the bond issue. The public is completely unaware of the number of individuals accused of a criminal offense that are actually innocent of any wrong doing, but cannot defend themselves because they cannot afford to make bond. They are working, have a house or apartment payment, have a car note, children to support, and work from payday to payday to keep these expenses paid, no surplusage. They are appointed counsel, since they have no funds to hire a lawyer either, and maintain their innocense demanding a trial. They are informed that they can have a trial, but it will be 3 to 6 months from now. They advise that they will lose everything, house, vehicle, job, etc., at which time they are told, "If you plead Guilty today, you can be out tonite" which they usually do. "Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty and for no other reason" is complete bullshit in many cases! It is strictly a business decision, no more, no less. The additional downside is that should they be pulled over later for some traffic offense, the conviction shows up on their screen creating a negative presumption in the officer's mind that this individual has a prior criminal history, not the circumstances of the conviction. <br /><br />As one of our prior Judges (having served in Family, Civil, and Criminal Courts) Judge Felix Salizar (deceased) so eloquently put it, "No one should be allowed to be a Judge until you have practiced law on the streets for at least 5 years, given your secretary a post-dated check, sent the light bill payment to the gas company, the gas bill to the water company, etc., and tried to collect fees from people who need help, but suffer from the sin of poverty. Otherwise, you have no idea what the practice of law is!" Couldn't have been said better! God Bless your soul, Felix.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-5391526138491255122011-09-25T13:17:31.024-05:002011-09-25T13:17:31.024-05:00While not anywhere close to being a "disgrunt...While not anywhere close to being a "disgruntled former" Harris County ADA, Mr. Casey O'Brien aka: jigmeister, proudly professed in a post retirement observation comment over at <br />Simple Justice something that might shed a light on part of the problem. <br /><br />"...there are three kinds of cases that go to trial, with many exceptions, the very serious, the very solid and the very close. The other 95% pled out." Maybe the "King of Nolo Contendere" will chime in and expand on this hot topic? <br /><br />Nevertheless, the taxpayers continue to fund the Texas cattle drive loop as Bail Bondsmen poor mouth all the way to the frigin bank. Thanks.Thomas R. Griffithhttp://www.projectnotguilty.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-54043117948275639862011-09-25T12:32:07.076-05:002011-09-25T12:32:07.076-05:00I don't disagree with o=your argument, and it ...I don't disagree with o=your argument, and it doesn't surprise me Harris Co. is the worst. But aren't bondsmen just another form of lobbyist (and they are their own special interest)? And won't somebody say the same thing in general for lawyers and even judges? They act like they're there to make money, by any means necessary--either within, near or without the partial limits provided by an out-of-touch legislature--themselves seeking only to be re-elected. ALL the gov folk have the conflict of interest in justifying their jobs or increasing their power, as opposed to being public servants. Anyone not in the club or servicing it is really out of luck.johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808884177035705472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-75391886177672256672011-09-25T05:14:26.696-05:002011-09-25T05:14:26.696-05:00Ask any defense attorney here in Harris county and...Ask any defense attorney here in Harris county and he'll likely agree that we're seeing an incredible increase in the stacking of charges. Almost everyone arrested faces at least two charges stemming from one incident. You get the original or legitimate charge, then you get what I term the "hammer" charge, designed to force a plea agreement before an indictment is issued. If the hammer charge is disputed it is usually dropped without presentation to a grand jury, but, regardless, the defendant must post bond on it before getting released from jail. No way I can prove it but, I think it's a conspiracy between the DA and the county's law enforcement. Maybe some disgruntled ADA or even an officer with one of the agencies will come forward in the future and spill the beans...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51726037068978735692011-09-24T23:41:04.786-05:002011-09-24T23:41:04.786-05:00I hate the bond racket; it is punishment without c...I hate the bond racket; it is punishment without conviction, often without even charges.<br /><br />The ostensible reason for bond is to help ensure the accused will appear in court. In reality, bond required in almost every case, with no examination at all of the likelihood the accused with abscond. It's often based on the seriousnesses of the charge; a murder defendant with solid family ties and no likelihood of escape will be jailed with a million dollar bond, while a serial robber with a history of FTA bonds out for a few thousand.<br /><br />Like almost all of the arraignment and pretrial process, assessing bond has become <i>pro forma</i>.KBCraignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-62477071245288268032011-09-24T22:38:36.627-05:002011-09-24T22:38:36.627-05:00This is definitely not limited to TX. Back in MS,...This is definitely not limited to TX. Back in MS,I was once taken in for an expired DL, and was offered bail before there was even any talk of a hearing, much less seeing a judge. Very first thing when I got to the police station was a discussion of how much it would cost me to get out.gravyrugnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-39162618164866577472011-09-24T19:40:14.160-05:002011-09-24T19:40:14.160-05:00Not to worry, they are making a fortune on immigra...Not to worry, they are making a fortune on immigration bonds and probation warrant bonds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-14132856942862123382011-09-24T17:31:13.439-05:002011-09-24T17:31:13.439-05:00A certain bondsman mentioned here maintains a luxo...A certain bondsman mentioned here maintains a luxo suite at Taxpayer Ballpork with his brothers the lawyers...probably has quite a guest list...one of the lawyer brothers recently took on fund raising for the Harris County R party and will surely be looking to put some more 'tough on crime' judges on the bench.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-11072388349171079852011-09-24T15:52:43.152-05:002011-09-24T15:52:43.152-05:00If Smith County had taken this approach they would...If Smith County had taken this approach they wouldn't have had to plead with voters for a jail expansion for the last several years. But, when you've got bail bondsman taking the people who run the sheriff's department on gambling trips and giving gifts to jailer for referrals, well.... Add to that judges who do their best to maintain and expand the oppressive power of the criminal justice political machine...in particular, Jack Skeen, whom the DA has cases assigned to when they want high bonds to pressure weak cases into pleading...wellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com