Monday, December 29, 2008

Bondsmen Make it Cheaper to Get Out of Jail

Bail bond agents are increasingly helping cash-strapped defendants get out of jail with ultra-cheap financing deals, a practice that worries law enforcement officials and insurers, and could endanger public safety.

To bolster their businesses during the recession, a growing number of bondsmen nationwide are requiring upfront payments that are only a fraction of the customary 10 percent premium amount - sometimes with no collateral. In exchange, the accused agree to make up the difference on credit cards or monthly installment plans.


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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Ten Tax Tips for Bail Agents Before 2009

With the year rapidly coming to a close, now is the time to start planning for end-of-the-year tax preparations for your business. Go ahead and spend money on your business now for things you’ll need next year so you won’t have to pay a giant tax bill in April. Remember, while we pay taxes, we’re not tax professionals. Also, state and local tax laws are different depending on where you live. Make sure you consult with your tax professional before the end of the year to make sure you’re not overlooking any deductions, or trying to deduct things that the IRS finds suspicious. You might not want to pay more taxes, but you definitely don't want to face an audit.

1. As part of the Economic Stimulus Plan of 2008, the limit on Section 179 deductions has been increased $250,000 for this year, double what it was last year. New and used equipment qualify for this deduction. Do you need a new computer? Now is the time to buy. It's alright if you need to finance these items - they're still deductible. It is important to note that any equipment you claim as a deduction must be in place and working by December 31, 2008. If you end up buying a new computer, make sure it is up and running before January 1. For more information on Section 179 deductions, check out this informative article from SmartMoney.com.

2. Believe it or not, it makes sense to buy an SUV. Ignore what we've said the rest of the year about not buying SUVs because of gas prices and green initiatives. The reason? If you buy an SUV that weighs more than 6,000 pounds and use it at least half of the time for business, you can deduct up to 75 percent of the purchase price. There are lots of SUVs that weigh more than 6,000 pounds: the Chevy Suburban, the Ford Excursion, and the Toyota Landcruiser. Now is an especially good time to invest in a new company vehicle, since car companies are drastically reducing the cost of vehicles. If you decide to put your company name on the vehicle, you can also deduct the cost of labor and materials to have that done. Talk to your tax professional to learn how to deduct up to 75 percent of the cost of certain SUVs this year.

3. Are you a member of PBUS? Of your state association? If not, you need to join your local, state, or national association. Business association dues are also tax deductible. This is a great deduction that also gives you the added benefit of great networkign opportunities.

4. Don't forget - education expenses can be deducted if it is a legal requirement for your job, or if they help you maintain or improve skills required in your present employment. Continuing education classes to maintain licensing are part of this category. Also, the registration fees for the conferences and conventions of the associations you just joined are deductible as well. Take the time to register now for conferences and continuing education classes that take place next year.

5. Book your airfare for any of the conferences you registered for, then deduct it as a travel expense, which includes air fare, hotel rooms, and car rentals. You can also deduct 50 percent of the costs for entertainment and meals, as long as they are related to business.

6. Advertising fees are another deductible business expense. Advertising fees include business cards, fliers, directory listings - basically anything that promotes and publicizes your business. If you are almost out of business cards, go ahead and order new ones so you're not caught cardless. If you advertise in any directories, ask if you can prepay next year's advertising now. Consider increasing your marketing budget and adding additional advertising. If you pay for next year’s advertising before December 31, you get twice the benefits. Not only do you help relieve this year’s tax burden, but you are driving new business to your company throughout 2009.

7. The recession is hard on everyone, but it is especially hard on charities. More people need the services of charitable organizations, while less people feel they can donate to them. Spread holiday cheer by making a contribution to your favorite charity or charities from your company. Not only will you be helping people in need and fostering a spirit of goodwill in the name of your company, but charitable contributions are tax deductible.

8. If your budget allows you, try to prepay recurring business expenses now. Consider prepaying rent for a couple months in January, or see if you can prepay your property insurance bill. Other recurring expenses you might be able to prepay include January’s cell phone or car insurance. If you pay these expenses by check, send them by registered or certified mail so you have proof that they were mailed by the end of 2008.

9. Here are a few other things that are deductible expenses because they fall into the “ordinary and usual” category: bank service charges, business-related magazines and books, casual labor and tips, coffee and beverage services, commissions, credit bureau fees, office supplies, parking and meters, postage, and promotion and publicity.

10. We've said it multiple times, and we'll say it again - consult a tax professional. No one knows tax laws better than the people who are paid to know them, and they certainly know them better than us. When in doubt, hire a CPA who will let you know for sure what can and cannot be claimed as a deduction. Remember, the cost of a CPA now just might save you the headache of an audit later.




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Dying Bondsman Released from California Jail

A local bail bondsman who says he's dying of cancer was released from jail on bail, Lerdo jail officials said.

Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz, 65, is accused of cheating clients out of their property and holding clients hostage.

He's been jailed since his arrest. His attorney, Arturo Revelo, says Cruz is not getting the chemotherapy treatment that he needs. He called Cruz's wait for bail a death sentence.

Cruz's family gathered money for his bail, but the judge required them to prove the money was not the product of crime.

On Wednesday morning, the judge lowered bail to $75,000 and removed that requirement.

A letter to the judge from Dr. Ravi Patel of the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center says Cruz has six months or less to live.

Cruz, his wife and four others are charged with 33 felonies following a two-year investigation into accusations that they tricked and coerced clients into giving up property that had been put up for bail.

The wife, Eduvina "Diane" Chacon, and Isaac Trevino are accused of fraudulently getting title to clients' vehicles and houses and other property to sell or for their personal use. Losses from this totaled at least $298,000, according to a press release from the California Department of Insurance.


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A New Type of Bounty Hunter

When someone mentions bounty in Hawaii, "Dog the Bounty Hunter" may come to mind. But a Windward Oahu couple is coming up with their own bounty, to sell their home.

Linda Harris and her husband haven't found much success in the real estate market these days. That's why they're offering a $100,000 bounty to anyone who can find a buyer for their two properties. So far, 12 people have stepped forward to work for that bounty.

"It's almost like a game show," Harris said. "It's got that same kind of energy and life that probably a game show has."

After dropping the price more than a half-million dollars on their Windward Oahu home, Linda Harris and her husband couldn't resist putting out a bounty to sell it.

"When the idea came up, it was like, wow, this will work, let's put it out into the world, so we talked about it and we think we have at least enough business sense to make it work," she said.

Both professors at UH, they started out by telling their grad students about it. Those two properties sit near the ocean. This home in Hauula is listed for $1.7 million and a 38-acre piece of land on the Big Island is on sale for $1.2 million.

"A few people have called and I've actually talked with them and they're oh, wow, this will cure my ills, I'll be able to pay my tuition, I'll be able to get my family in gear and they're out hunting," she said. "I'd rather see people gain from it, rather than an advertising company or a news organization, I'd rather see individuals gain from it."

The reward would be paid out by escrow when the properties have closed.

"Hopefully this is a great lesson in how creativity and innovation can result in something good for a lot of people," she said.

Harris says the bounty is legal. A state law allows one bounty per year for real estate. So far, a bounty hunter found a couple in California who came down to look at the home. Harris says the couple is now thinking it over.

If you're interested in getting the reward, you'll have to register with Harris. E-mail her at llharris@hawaii.edu.


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Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler: Fugitive and Bounty Hunter?

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are in talks to star in an untitled bounty hunter comedy film for Columbia.

Variety reports Andy Tennant ("Hitch") has signed to direct the film – which follows a bounty hunter (Butler) hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston) after she skips bail.

The film’s script was penned by Sarah Thorp ("Twisted"), and it is scheduled to start shooting in May. Neal Moritz is set to produce the film through his Sony-based Original Films.

Aniston is set to return to the big screen on Christmas Day with "Marley & Me," and has three films finished - "He's Just Not That Into You," "Traveling" and "Management."

Butler will be seen in the upcoming thriller “Game,” and the romantic comedy “The Ugly Truth” with Katherine Heigl.




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Bondsmen Track Down Suspect

A man accused of a fatal shooting on Clarksville Pike was quickly caught by bail bondsmen equipped with a stun gun.

The bondsmen, employed by the U.S. Fugitive Apprehension Service, were working on a case when they saw Tyrone Davis, 29, get shot in a parking lot about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. They chased the suspect on foot and fired a Taser at him before catching him on 26th Avenue North, police said.

Nicholas Short, 19, was charged with criminal homicide. A handgun was found in his jacket, police said.

The bondsmen told police they saw the man go through Davis's pockets after the shooting.


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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Dozens Line Up for Chance to Meet "Dog"

Dozens of excited fans of Duane "Dog" Chapman lined up for the chance to get his autograph Wednesday.

It was quite a scene at "Da Dog House," a store that sells "Dog the Bounty Hunter" merchandise.

Dog and his crew from the popular A&E show met the fans, took pictures and signed whatever they wanted signed.


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Friday, December 05, 2008

Plaxico Burress Posts Bail as Giants Weigh Options

Taken to court in handcuffs, Plaxico Burress posted $100,000 bail on weapons possession charges Monday as the frenzy grew around the New York Giants star receiver who accidentally shot himself in a nightclub.

Authorities said teammate Antonio Pierce was being investigated over his role in the weekend shooting, and the Super Bowl champion Giants weren't sure what action they would take, if any, against Burress. The NFL said it was monitoring developments. New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg also weighed in, saying it would be an outrage "if we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."


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Doctor Says Bondsman Accused of Fraud has Four to Six Months to Live

The Bakersfield bondsman accused of tricking and coercing clients into giving up property that had been put up for bail has about four to six months to live, his doctor confirmed Thursday.

Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz, 65, has pancreatic cancer that in recent weeks has started growing rapidly, Dr. Ravi Patel said.

“His cancer is aggressive, and his life span is short,” Patel said.


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Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Bondsman Accused of Fraud

A Bakersfield man says he was held at gunpoint by a bail bondsman and the bondsman's bounty hunters in a plan to extort money.

Brian Walker is the first of six people named in a California Department of Insurance investigation into Joaquin Cruz and his former bail bond company.

Cruz was due in court Tuesday to face extortion and false imprisonment charges. He declined an interview from Lerdo Jail.

"Those bounty hunters had guns on them, and they put you in their car driving you around, telling you to give them money," Walker said.

Walker said it wasn't until after his release from jail that his nightmare began. "I was scared to death, I had never been through nothing like that before," Walker said.

Walker's sister-in-law, Candie Hughes, put up the initial $10,000 to bail him out of jail. But, she said, days later she and her brother-in-law found themselves in the middle of an extortion plot. "They told us we're not leaving their side until they get a thousand dollars or my truck," Hughes said.

Walker and Hughes said Cruz and several of his family members kidnapped them. They say the bondsmen forced them to produce a thousand dollars in cash, or Walker would be re-arrested. "They were showing up harassing me at every court hearing I had, threatening they were going to take me to jail," Walker said. "They said they wanted more money, but I didn't owe them more money."

Officers arrested Cruz last week on two misdemeanor and 13 felony charges.

The Department of Insurance regulates bondsmen and has been investigating Cruz since at least 2006. A call from one customer turned up complaints from five others, who said Cruz demanded more money from them after freeing them on bail.

"I'm glad they got caught, because now I know we were not the only ones who went through it," Walker said. "They put a lot of people through the same stuff."

Several of Cruz's family members and co-workers also were arrested in the case, and face multiple felony charges.


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Have a Credit Card? Post Your Own Bail

With the swipe of a credit card, jailed individuals can make bond. It is new technology to the Tulsa County Jail. Inmates can use Touch Pay to bond out.

Their family members can use it to add money to their accounts for items they want, sold at the jail, but not provided for free. Touch Pay is expected to cut booking time in half, and eliminate a lot of paperwork.

"They can actually swipe the card, and it will pay their bonds, so unless its like a DUI or public intox they can walk right through," said Chief Michelle Robinette.

Some bail bondsmen say the new system is hurting their business. "It really does cut us out of a lot of business because people can use their credit cards now where you know, we used to get them to come into our office, and that's where we make our money is off of bailing people out," said bail bondsman Rocky Cutler.

The Touch Pay system is free to the county. The provider company gets paid by a $3 card swipe fee.



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Bounty Hunter to Continue on Anthony Case

Controversial bounty hunter Leonard Padilla said he plans to return to Central Florida to resume his search for missing 3-year-old Caylee Anthony.

Padilla said a donor has given him $50,000 to help look for the girl. He said the donor wished to remain anonymous.

The bounty hunter was most recently searching in and around the Little Econ River in Blanchard Park with a dive team for Caylee's remains.

At one point during the search, the dive team thought they found toys and bones that may have been connected to the case, but they turned out not to be bones at all.

Meanwhile, the case against the missing girl's mother, Casey Anthony, is scheduled to back to court Tuesday.

Casey remains behind bars, charged with her daughter's murder.

Casey's lawyer, Jose Baez, is expected to argue more motions before a judge, and look to get more evidence from the state.


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Bondsman Discovers Potential Problem in the System

Ronald Rutkiewicz just opened his bond office last year, but already thinks he's uncovered an unfair playing field.

"If you have no fear of having to pay it if he doesn't show up...then you have no fear of reprisal of having to pay the money," Rutkiewicz told First Coast News' Erich Spivey.

Rutkiewicz filed suit against Putnam County Clerk Tim Smith. He says Smith failed to collect money when suspects skipped court appearances, what's known as jumping bond.

For example, Rutkiewicz says suspect Eddie Brown failed to show up for sentencing in July, 2007.

And, according to the suit, the clerk's office failed to file a claim against the bondsman until a year later. That's something required by law within 95 days of a suspect jumping bond.

"It's up to the clerk's office to basically collect that money and from what I've seen so far, they have not been doing so," Rutkiewicz says.

"Was there a reason why they weren't being collected?" First Coast News questioned.

"No, not a particular reason, other than these are very complicated cases," Smith says.

Smith is attending a clerk's conference in Orlando. He told First Coast News by phone that his office is now in compliance with Florida statutes.

"You had about $80,000 that you were behind on?" we asked.

"Yes," Smith answered.

"But you've collected it all?" "Yes."

"There were some that were past the date that the statutes allowed, and with the judge's help we've gone back and reviewed and looked at judge's orders and brought those up to current compliance," Smith says.



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Successful Bexar County Bondsman Surrounded By Controversy

As a new operator in the rough-and-tumble Bexar County bail bond business, Albert Saenz quickly climbed to the top after opening his first modest office in 2003 on South Pan Am Expressway.

With a bond writing capability in Bexar County now of more than $32 million — almost twice that of its nearest competitor — his company, AA Best Bail Bonds, is the biggest in town. Saenz also operates nine regional offices spread from Del Rio to Karnes City.

Heavy advertising, aggressive price-cutting and a gambler's taste for risk all helped Saenz thrive in what one regulator called a “cutthroat, backstabbing” business.

He also has enjoyed less obvious advantages, according to many of his former employees.

To read the rest of this article, visit MySanAntonio.com.


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Law Enforcers and Bail Agents Worried about New Dona Ana Bail Schedule

The Dona Ana County Magistrate Court sets a new bail schedule for accused criminals, but it's not sitting well with some law enforcers, bail bondsmen and even victims.

The new bail schedule set early last month changes how bond is set if a judge cannot be present to hear the case.

This usually happens in the case of suspects being caught overnight after judges have gone home for the evening.

If a suspect is accused of committing several crimes and is arrested, the new order determines that bail will be set for the highest criminal charge only. The other charges will not carry bail, making it easier to be released.

According to the order filed by presiding magistrate Judge Oscar Freitze last month, the defendant can be released by posting 25 percent of the bail.

Some say that's not fair to the victim of the crime, especially in a case of rape where the victim did not get to voice his or her concerns to the judge about the defendant's release, and in some cases the victim might not get notified of the release.

One local bail bondsmen says it's unfair to have a suspect accused of commiting a crime for the first time get the same bail as a repeat criminal, if the crime is the same.

“I think that the law has become like a fast-food restaurant; the judges have gotten lazy and back in the day when my uncle was a judge people were woken up every night and never complained a bit, he felt it was his duty to give everybody a right to a reasonable bail,” said bail bondsman Randy Gomez.

Gomez said he will file a motion to undo the order, which he expects to get rejected because it came from the court he will file it in.

Undersheriff Chuck Franco said he and the sheriff are not pleased with the decision and concerned that it will allow people to get out of jail quicker with a likelihood they would not return for their court appearance.


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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Bounty Hunter in Casey Anthony Case to Take Polygraph

Celebrity bounty hunter Leonard Padilla says he's back in California where he will undergo a lie detector test. Padilla told Orlando station WFTV he believes the FBI wants to ask him about last week's big false alarm that sent reporters and law enforcement officials scrambling to a search site on the Little Econ River in Blanchard Park.

Divers organized by Padilla to search for the remains of Caylee Anthony found a plastic bag containing what they said were bones and toys. The bag reportedly had been weighted down with two bricks.

Law enforcement officers who arrived at the scene a short time later said there were no bones in the bag. They added that they found nothing of evidentiary value at the scene to aid them in their search for the missing toddler.

When asked by a WFTV reporter if the FBI wants him to take the lie detector test to find out if he planted the bag in the river, Padilla answered, "That's what I think, yeah."

Padilla's dive team was ordered out of Blanchard Park over the weekend. He said he hopes to return there later this week. Padilla says he remains convinced that Caylee's mother, Casey Anthony, dumped her daughter's body in the Little Econ River.

Meanwhile, Casey's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, have hired a new family spokesperson. They fired Larry Garrison last week after learning he had profited from their appearances and family photographs.

Casey Anthony is jailed on first degree murder charges and is scheduled to stand trial in January.


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In Florida, Controversy Over Pretrial Release

Public Defender Howard Finkelstein rankled county commissioners Thursday when he cursed at them and accused them of meddling in the justice system to help lobbyist friends.

Finkelstein was upset with plans for an upcoming public hearing on a proposal that delineates how pre-trial release should work. In January, the commission expanded a program run by the Sheriff’s Office that releases and monitor criminal defendants awaiting trial.

They want to delay construction of a new jail and reduce detention costs. The bail bond industry had major concerns about the expansion and has argued since that the county needs to better spell out how the program works.

Finkelstein is opposed to the proposal and accused influential lobbyist Ron Book of manipulating the commission for the bail bond industry.

“There’s something else here, and it’s very important that I put this out there, and I don’t know how to phrase it other than what the hell is going on here?” he asked at the start of his speech to the commission.


He later added: “I’m going to ask you again, what the hell is going on? The people that work in this system, that run this system, whose mission is justice and equal justice, say: Don’t do this. Mr. Book says: Do it. And we’re going to do it? Don’t sell out the justice system.”

Finkelstein alleged commissioners were acting unconstitutionally and said they were being manipulated by financial interests.

“This is an end-run to shut me up so that it can go to a public hearing so that the bondsmen’s lobbyist can lobby each and every one of you so that the fix can be put in. This is why there was a cry for change in this country. It’s how business is conducted by our government bodies. I am urging you, do not fall prey to that.”

The commission ended up not setting the public hearing for Dec. 9 as planned. Instead, it set it for late January to give its staff time to collect information on how other counties handle pre-trial release programs.


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Man Shot as Two Bondsmen Take him into Custody

A 32-year-old man was accidentally shot Thursday morning while being taken into custody by two bail bondsmen at the Traveler's Inn, 3846 S.W. Topeka Blvd., police said.

Two bail bondsmen employed by A-1 Bail Bonds around 11:23 a.m. pursued the man on foot before he stopped and surrendered to the men, said Topeka police Lt. Chris Heaven. The man voluntarily laid on the ground and was being handcuffed when one of the bail bondsman's handgun went off, Heaven said.

Police said the bullet grazed the man's back, causing some skin loss in the process. The victim was taken to St. Francis Health Center, where he was treated and released. The man then was taken into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Jail in connection with a city custody slip.

The bail bondsmen were interviewed by police and released. The names and ages of the men weren't available. Police said the incident is under investigation.



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Thursday, November 13, 2008

IMPORTANT: S.2495, Bail Bond Fairness Act

Stephen Kreimer, the Executive Director of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States, has sent out the following information regarding the Bail Bond Fairness Act that PBUS is currently trying to pass into law.
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The elections are over and now the Members of the 110th Congress are making plans to return to Washington, DC one last time before they adjourn sine die; thereby ending this, the Second and final Session of the 110th Congress.

A significant number of bills have yet to be considered, including S.2495, the Bail Bond Fairness Act. This is it, we now have one more opportunity to get this bill out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and onto the floor for a vote and we need your help to move this bill.

The bail profession continues to enjoy universal support for this bill except from the Federal Judges and that appears, at this time, to be the one and only group that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is listening to. We need your help in elevating the noise from other Senators and constituents about the importance of this bill.

S.2495 says one thing and one thing only: Bail is about the appearance of the defendant! This bill tells federal judges (and state and local judges) that they may not forfeit a bail bond if a defendant violates a condition of the bond. We have repeatedly said: "If a defendant fails to appear, hold the bail agent responsible! If the defendant violates a condition of the bond (do not drink, drive out of state, use drugs) hold the defendant accountable for their own behavior! The judges say not being able to place conditions on a bond weakens their ability to set bonds. Nonsense is the universal reply. Place all the conditions on a bond that you want, only hold the defendant accountable for their own behaviors!

We need your help in two areas.

First is with the Senate Judiciary Committee. These are the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee:

Chairman Patrick Leahy (VT) 202-224-4242

Democrats (10):
Edward M. Kennedy (MA) 202-224-4543
Joseph Biden (DE) 202-224-5042
Herbert Kohl (WI) 202-224-5653
Diane Feinstein (CA) 202-224-3841
Russ Feingold (WI) 202-224-5323
Charles Schumer (NY) 202-224-6542
Richard Durbin (IL) 202-224-2152
Benjamin Cardin (MD) 202224-4654
Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) 202-224-2921

Republicans (9):
Arlen Specter (PA) 202-224-4254
Orrin G. Hatch (UT) 202-224-5251
Charles Grassley (IA) 202-224-3744
Jon Kyl (AZ) 202-224-4521
Jeff Sessions (AL) 202-224-4124
Lindsey Graham (SC) 202-224-5972
John Cornyn (TX) 202-224-2934
Sam Brownback (KS) 202-224-6521
Tom Coburn (OK) 202-224-5754

Second area where we need your help is with your two U.S. Senators.

Some Important Stuff!

1. This is a bi-partisan bill
. The primary sponsor is Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) who is also the VP-Elect. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) the ranking Minority Member on the Judiciary Committee is also a sponsor as are other Judiciary Committee members Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Other Senators sponsoring the Bill are Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID).

2. The only group, organization or persons against S.2495 are the federal judges. We have replied to their objections only they have had the ear of Sen. Leahy. We now need to make more noise so that our message is heard.

3. What are the Senate's plans for the rest of November and for December? Good question. I spent time recently on Capitol Hill seeking definitive answers. The expectation, according to Speaker of the House Pelosi that the House will reconvene to address additional Economic Stimulus packages. If this happens and a bill passes the House and goes to the Senate, then the Senate will return. Should there be no bill, then it is very doubtful that the Senate will return and all the bills in the Senate that have not been acted upon, including S.2495, will die.

4. Should the Senate return (and best estimates are that they will return) then we can look forward to the Sen. Leahy convening a Judiciary Committee meeting. At that time, we want him to place S.2495 on the agenda for consideration. Here is where we need your help. First, if either of your U.S. Senators is on the Judiciary Committee, please telephone them and ask that S.2495 be placed on the agenda of the next Judiciary Committee meeting. Second, we need everyone to call their two Senator's offices and ask them to have Sen. Leahy place S.2495 on the Judiciary Committee agenda. Again, this is especially true if one or both of your Senator's are on the Judiciary Committee. Everyone, every Senator is important if we want to make noise.

5. Option #2 - Sen. Leahy does not have to place the bill on the Agenda of the Judiciary Committee, he can agree to discharge it from his committee so that the full Senate may consider and vote on the legislation. Here is where noise pays off. If enough of us call and make this request of our Senators and they in-turn call Sen. Leahy's office, we will see the bill come out of the Judiciary Committee.

6. What if Sen. Leahy does not agree with either request? Then, as a last resource, we can ask one of our original sponsors to re-introduce the bill and ask for Same Day Consideration. This is the least desirable route, yet it is a route.

7. So, please, please call your U.S. Senator's office and ask them to have Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee bring S.2495 up for consideration and a vote. Call your U.S. Senator's office and ask them to make noise and let's get this bill moving. Yes, call the Sponsor's office and the co-sponsor's offices if you are from their state. Please, let us call everyone.

8. Now when you call your Senator's office here in Washington, DC there is a better than 95% likelihood that the call will be answered by a Senatorial Intern. You do not need them to record your interest in S.2495, instead ask to speak with the Senator's staff member who is
responsible for Judiciary issues. Speak with them about S. 2495 or at least leave a voice message of support and your name and phone number so that they may call you back if needed or necessary.

9. What if you are uncertain as to the names and telephone numbers of your U.S. Senators? No problem for us. Please call the Home Office - 202-783-4120 - and we can supply names and telephone numbers. Honest, no problem.

10. What if I want to read more about S.2495, the Bail Bond Fairness Act? Again, no problem, we have lots of materials and information on the PBUS website at: http://www.pbus.com.

11. What if I did not support my Senator last time? Again, no problem. You are a constituent and this is a request you are making as a constituent.

12. What if I have questions about the bill or someone on a Senator's staff wants or needs more information. Again, no problem. Please call me in the PBUS Home Office - 202-783-4120 - and we can discuss the bill or work with me on a fast meeting with the particular Senate staffer. Remember, PBUS is located between the White House and Capitol Hill. I can reach the Hill in about under 9 minutes.

13. This has been a particularly long and arduous journey for you, the profession and PBUS and yet, we have never been as close to finishing the job as we are right now. The end is in-sight, awaiting that final push.

14. Call your U.S. Senator's offices, call PBUS and call me and let's see about getting this done.

I promise that I will continue to monitor daily what is occurring on Capitol Hill and let you know the moment the U.S. Senate creates their schedule for the remaining days of the 110th Congress. Together, we can make this happen.

Thank you.
Stephen Kreimer

Executive Director
PBUS
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Monday, November 10, 2008

Judge Slams Bail Delays

Deep systemic problems in Durham Region courts mean prisoners routinely face unreasonable delays while awaiting bail hearings, a judge ruled as he dismissed charges against a man facing domestic assault charges.

In his written reasons, Justice Joseph De Filippis, of the Ontario Court of Justice, quoted from a justice of the peace, who said that the crowded bail court docket in Durham "staggers human endurance."

De Filippis ruled that a clogged court system meant Daniel Jevons, 60, of Oakville spent far too long in custody awaiting a bail hearing after being arrested in August 2007.

Under the Criminal Code, accused people must appear before a judicial officer within 24 hours and have a bail hearing within three days thereafter, unless they consent to a delay.

Jevons was held in jail for eight days before his bail hearing.

Jevons, who had no criminal record, was charged with being unlawfully in a dwelling and criminal harassment for an alleged incident with a former girlfriend.

"The defendant feared he might never be released before trial," the judge wrote. "That fear was not unreasonable. What is not reasonable are the resources allocated to bail hearings in Durham Region."

Charges against Jevons were dropped last month, but the judge only released his reasons this week.

The decision came after defence lawyer Boris Bytensky disputed Crown figures about backlogs in Durham Region bail court.

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Bondsman's Killer Gets 50 Years

James E. Carr was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for murdering an unarmed bail bondsman March 6 in South Richmond.

The term imposed for the death of James W. Woolfolk III will run consecutive to the 10 years that Carr recently had revoked in Henrico County on a prior robbery conviction. That means Carr, who will turn 21 later this month, has a total sentence of 50 years to serve.

Richmond Circuit Judge Beverly W. Snukals, following a jury's recommendation, this morning sentenced Carr to 37 years for first-degree murder and three years for felonious use of a firearm.


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Friday, November 07, 2008

Leonard Padilla Once Again Searching for Caylee

 Leonard Padilla, the California Bounty hunter who has been in and out of the case surrounding missing toddler Caylee Anthony arrived back in Orlando Thursday night. 

Padilla said he will be part of the search teams that will comb areas across Central Florida looking for any trace of the toddler that has been missing since June. At one time Padilla felt the toddler was alive, but when he arrived in Orlando Thursday he said that he now feels that Caylee is dead.


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Wednesday, November 05, 2008

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Bail Denied in Deadly Fish Toxin Case

A federal judge in Rockford has denied the request for bail from a Lake in the Hills man who's charged with unlawfully acquiring and possessing a deadly puffer fish toxin.

Judge Frederick Kapala wrote that releasing Edward Bachner IV from custody would pose a serious danger to the community.

Defense attorney James Marcus asked the judge to approve his request for bail, saying Bachner has no criminal history and isn't a flight risk.


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Austrailian Judge Rules Out Bail Despite Full Prisons

A remand centre prisoner's bid to be released on bail because of record overcrowding in Canberra's detention system failed in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Chris Merritt, who is facing charges that include assault and property damage, had applied to the court for bail, arguing he could not be held humanely in the ACT's overflowing system.

He also argued that Corrections authorities could not provide adequate medical treatment for an injury to his hand.

The system has been under increasing pressure since the ACT's new jail, the $123million Alexander Maconochie Centre in Hume, failed to open on time last week, throwing into chaos plans to transfer detainees from Belconnen and Symonston remand centres, and sentenced prisoners from NSW.

Glitches with the new jail's electronic security system have forced the opening to be delayed at least until January and security contractor Chubb is paying the ACT Government $44,000 a day in compensation.

Merritt had argued through his lawyers that the system was not providing him with adequate treatment for a broken hand which he suffered in an altercation with another detainee.


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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Cost of Alaska Prison Calls May Rise to $2

State utility regulators have delayed a Texas-based company's proposal to collect $2 for local calls made by Alaska prison inmates.

Prison calls cost more because officials need to monitor, record and potentially block inmates' calls, according to the Department of Corrections.

Dallas-based Evercom Systems Inc. applied to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to start charging the fee Sept. 15. Evercom is partnered in much of Alaska with Anchorage-based GCI and has a contract to provide phone security for the Alaska Department of Corrections.

State regulators are investigating whether the $2 fee is reasonable.

The fee won't be charged at least until after regulators hold an evidentiary hearing, which hasn't been scheduled. The RCA asked the phone companies to show costs proving the fee was reasonable and held a public meeting Sept. 11.

Statute requires the RCA to rule on the matter by August 2009.

The fee wouldn't be charged for the "one free phone call," calls to public defenders or calls from phones in booking areas.

Long-distance calls from prison already cost more. The corrections department said collect local calls from prisons are common nationwide.

Bail bondsmen, an ankle monitoring company, a defense attorney and an inmate were among those who complained about the proposed fee in written comments or public testimony.

Defense attorney Randal Cavanaugh testified that his bills to state and federal agencies would go up to cover extra costs. He also said the fee was being "disguised" as a phone service: Recordings were being used by state and federal agencies as evidence in court cases.

Commissioners said they could not yet comment on the merits of the case. They said they might not be able to address Cavanaugh's concerns.

"This may turn to a considerable extent on our jurisdiction, the extent to which we can get involved in ... the correctional part of it," RCA commissioner Mark Johnson said.

Rosalie Nadeau, executive director of Akeela Inc., testified that the Akeela House drug rehab program couldn't afford the fees. She also thought that the fee would further isolate inmates and make it more difficult for them to put their post-prison lives back together.

"We get calls every day from prison from inmates, and what they're doing is trying to work on getting out of prison," she said.

One Hiland Mountain Correctional Center inmate identified as "S. Alvarado" hand-wrote regulators that the calls were the only way she could communicate with her family.

"My mom is a widow with grandchildren she can not pay $2 for a 15 min call please find it in your heart for this not to happen," Alvarado wrote.


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Economy Affecting Bail Business

Like many businessmen, Vince Gaskin's cell phone is strapped to his side and he is reachable day and night. He sorts through piles of paperwork and regularly meets with clients.

But unlike a typical businessman, Gaskin often meets with clients through a cell block window at 3 or 4 a.m.

"During the day it's pretty calm. Evenings are busier," Gaskin said. "We're like fireman waiting for the bell to go off."

But the stalled economy is taking a toll on Gaskin and others in the bail bonds business.

"One of the problems I'm seeing are the jails becoming overcrowded. With the economy the way it is, people can't afford to get out of jail," said Don Collins, a second-generation bondsman and owner of A-Harden Bail Bonding in Stuart.

Crime goes up when the economy is bad. But like any other businesses, bondsmen's customers have less money. That means fewer people who are arrested can find the cash or collateral due to the bondsmen in order to post bond and get them out of jail.

And that translates to less money for bondsmen, who already fight a tough economic battle because they can't compete based on price and have clients that can skip town — leaving the bondsmen out large amounts of money.

Bondsmen collect a non-refundable fee from a friend or family member to get the client out of jail. Collateralmight be required depending on how much the bail is set for. This is meant as a type of insurance for the bondsman to recoup their costs since they are ultimately liable for the full amount of the bond.

Bondsmen are backed by insurance companies to ensure they meet their financial obligations to the courts. Insurance companies put a portion of the bondsman's fee into what's called a build up fund. Accrued funds in this account are used if the bondsman is unable to recoup the full amount of the bond.

Bondsmen's fees are governed by Florida State Law, which requires them to collect 10 percent of any bail amount greater than $1,000, or $100 for each offense $1,000 or less.

There are more than 50 bail bond agencies on the Treasure Coast, so marketing is essential because the businesses cannot differentiate themselves based on price.

"People just want who will get them out the quickest with the least amount of hassle," said Gaskin, who has owned and operated Vince Gaskin's Bail Bonds — which has locations in Stuart, Fort Pierce and Vero Beach — since 1999.

Some bondsmen have Web sites, sponsor basketball and soccer leagues, or even golf tournaments to get their name out. Some also feel being in a close proximity to the jail makes a difference, although Ryan Collins, a 25-year-old bondsman, is a firm believer that having a good rapport with people makes a difference.

"You have to offer good customer service," said Ryan Collins, who is the son of Don Collins.

All bondsmen complete a series of training courses and schooling, and are required to have a 1-year internship with a licensed bondsman before becoming licensed themselves. Additionally, they have to complete seven hours of continued education each year, where they receive training on self-defense, handcuff techniques and how to use a gun.

If someone fails to appear for court, bondsmen have up to 60 days to produce their client or the bondsmen must pay the full amount of the bond. Bondsmen then have the authority to track down these "skips" — as they are called in the business — for something called a "pick up," said Gaskin, who lost his bid for St. Lucie County Commission District 1 in the August primary.

"Our client's paperwork is our warrant," Gaskin said. "By signing the paperwork, they are giving us the authority to arrest them any time of the day, any where."

In September, Gaskin, along with two of his private investigators traveled to Puerto Rico for a client that was out on a $30,000 bond.

If someone flees, the decision to go after them is handled on a case-by-case basis. Deciding whether to make a pick up depends on the amount of the bond and what information the bondsman has to work with.

"We lose a lot of money. Bail bondsmen take a lot of losses. If I had every dime that was due to me, I'd probably take a break for 10 years," Gaskin said.


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In Starkville, Mississippi, Bondsmen See Less Business

The life of a bail bondsman isn't always easy.

The phone rings in the middle of the night and on the other end of the line is the voice of a prisoner -- or that prisoner's loved one -- who needs to get bailed out of jail.

Most, if not all, Starkville area bail bondsmen are used to getting those late night phone calls. So, as they've done so many times before, they head into the night to bail out yet another person.

Lately, local bondsmen have received fewer and fewer of those late night phone calls, and many say their businesses are suffering.

Since the city of Starkville contracted this June to house prisoners in Clay County jail when the Oktibbeha County jail is full, some bondsmen have seen business with city prisoners drop 50 percent to 75 percent.

As part of the city's contract with North Atlantic Extradition Services, which operates out of Clay County jail, the Starkville Police Department is guaranteed 15 extra beds each night at the West Point facility, at a cost of $35 per bed.

Because so many Starkville prisoners regularly get transported to Clay County, especially during circuit court sessions when the Oktibbeha County jail is full, local bail bond agents are losing out to their colleagues in West Point.

"Since they've done this, it's probably cut bonding by 50 percent," said Cynthia Hunt of Hunt Bonding.

Hunt wrote about 20 bonds per week for Starkville prisoners prior to the city's agreement with NAES, she said.

"Now I might get five," she said.

The availability of bondsmen in the West Point area is part of the reason Starkville bondsmen are missing out on the business.

When a suspect is arrested by the Starkville Police Department, he or she gets one phone call. Some suspects make their call at the city police station, while others make calls from Clay County jail.

Because West Point has its fair share of bonding agents, many prisoners who make calls from Clay County jail contact bondsmen already in the area instead of those in Starkville.

"If I was sitting in jail and it would take 30 minutes for a bondsman to get here, then there is a local bondsman I can call and it's going to take three minutes for them to get here, I'm going to call the local bondsman," said R.H Gilmer of A Bail Bondsman in Starkville.

Pat Quinn of Leigh's Bail Bonds in West Point, who deals regularly with Clay County jail, said business hasn't significantly picked up since Starkville started sending more of its prisoners to West Point.

"Actually, there hasn't been an increase in business," Quinn said. "It's been pretty steady."

The city's agreement with NAES only applies to prisoners picked up by the Starkville Police Department. The situation is a bit different with prisoners who are arrested by the Sheriff's Department or state agencies, such as Mississippi Highway Patrol.

"If a bail bondsman comes up here and said 'I want to get out Joe Blow,' and he's in Lowndes or Clay County, they'll start the bonding process here and we'll go pick him up and bring him back," said Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Department Deputy Chief George Carrithers. "We require all our bonds on (county) inmates to be made in Oktibbeha County."

Despite the conflict among local bail bondsmen, Starkville police Lt. Bill Lott said the concerns are unfounded. Lott said the agreement with NAES allows for more criminals to be locked up because, prior to the contract, Starkville police were allowing some offenders to remain free and only arrested the most violent criminals.

Now that more people are being put in jail, Lott said local bondsmen should have even more business, especially considering many prisoners make their one phone call before they're transported to Clay County.

"They get their phone call when they're here, so they have the opportunity to call a bondsman right here and then," Lott said. "If they can't get a bondsman here before the booking process is complete, they're going to West Point. So it would behoove them to call a local bondsman."


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Bondsmen See House Burglarized on Their Watch

Around 7:00 p.m. Thursday night, bail bondsmen were watching a house off of Chapel Hill Boulevard hoping the homeowners show up.

They didn't, although a car with three men pulled up.

Officers say they broke into the home and were later seen leaving with stolen property.

At that point, bondsmen called Pasco police and they later stopped the suspects vehicle at 4th and Court Street.

All three men were arrested and charged with Residential Burglary.


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Monday, November 03, 2008

Bail Amount Under Dispute in Prison Guard Murder

As family members began a four-day Hmong ritual to mourn correctional officer Steve Lo, a deputy district attorney said Friday that Lo was having an extramarital affair with the wife of a former Sacramento County sheriff's deputy, providing a possible motive for Lo's slaying.

Robert Clancy discussed the relationship in Sacramento Superior Court while arguing against a motion to reduce bail for former Deputy Chu Vue. Vue has been in jail for the last week on an unrelated felony charge of possessing an illegal weapon.

Police consider Vue a "principal" in the investigation into Lo's killing, but have not charged him in connection with that case. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail – 10 times the standard amount for an illegal weapons charge.

Judge Steve White sided with Clancy, and Vue, 43, remained in custody late Friday.

Vue, who was fired Monday at his arraignment hearing after 13 years with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, has pleaded not guilty to the weapons charge.


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Monday, October 27, 2008

Bondsman Tracked and Arrested Animal Abuser

The Kern County woman accused of animal cruelty has finally been arrested. A bail bondsman tracked Anita Gilbert to the Los Angeles area, and 20 cats were found in a motel room she rented in Oxnard.

Gilbert was arrested Thursday night in Reseda near a friend's house. Bail bondsman Bob Herman said he and his investigators had staked out the area, and saw Gilbert drive up in a black BMW.

Investigator Silvio Suarez said as they approached her, Gilbert took off running and yelling. "That she had cancer, which is a lie. That she has heart problems, which is a lie. She's a pathological liar," said Suarez.

Herman said Gilbert said she had cats in a motel room where she had been staying in Oxnard. The bondsman and investigators went to that motel where they found a room in a complete mess, with 20 cats left in it.


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Alberta Fighting for Tighter Federal Bail System

Alberta's justice minister plans to spend a lot of time in Ottawa this fall, arguing that bail legislation needs to be sharpened so confidence in the justice system isn't undermined by the release of suspects charged with serious crimes.

Alison Redford says she will urge the federal government to give judges the flexibility to detain more people, fearing their release in cases of serious crimes could "bring the administration of justice into disrepute."

Redford has been talking extensively with her counterparts in B.C. and Saskatchewan -- and plans to speak to other provincial and territorial ministers -- in a bid to win support for Alberta's initiative.


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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Bounty-Hunting Pastor Helps Put People On the Right Path

Dr. Butch Varner is many things to many people.

He may be a fugitive’s worst nightmare, a preacher of the good news for the sin-sick soul or a trumpeter who completes a worship band. He’s also a husband, father, military veteran and man of letters.

“We don’t want to be what people think of as a stereotype religious ministry,” said Mr. Varner, the pastor of Hamilton Pointe Church in Hixson. “Being a bounty hunter/pastor is iconoclastic. We enjoy that. That makes us more approachable.”

Today, some words from the Chattanooga man who has combined two unlikely professions.


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Monday, October 20, 2008

Lord Chancellor in Britain Denies Need to Change Laws

Judges will still be permitted to grant bail to defendants charged with murder or manslaughter if Jack Straw follows their advice.

The Lord Chancellor launched a low-key consultation exercise in June after two controversial killings, one by a defendant awaiting trial for killing his wife.

Garry Weddell, a police officer, had been granted bail in July 2007. Six months later, he killed his mother-in-law before taking his own life.

The other case concerned Richard Whelan, a passenger on the top deck of a London bus who was fatally stabbed after remonstrating with his killer for throwing chips at passengers.

After two inconclusive trials, Anthony Leon Peart pleaded guilty to the manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. There was extensive public concern because Peart had been released from prison on that day of the killing — despite a warrant out for his arrest.

Some people were surprised to discover that the presumption in favour of bail applies in murder cases as well as others. Shortly afterwards, though, Mr Straw spoke up for the judges.

“The decision as to whether to grant bail to a defendant is always a difficult one for judges and magistrates,” he said. “These must be independent judicial decisions based on the law as it is, and they do so to a very high standard.”

The Lord Chancellor maintained this measured tone in the introduction to his consultation paper in June.

“It is vital to ensure that the courts strike the right balance between respecting individuals’ right to liberty and protecting the public,” he said. “I do not take it for granted that it will be necessary to amend legislation, but we shall not hesitate to bring forward whatever change in guidance, rules or the law may be needed.”

And are changes needed? No, say the criminal appeal judges in a response just made public. “Some crimes cannot be predicted, and, in consequence, they will not be prevented by implementing reforms to the legislative regime which governs bail.” In their view, “it would be unhelpful to make cosmetic changes to the current provisions” given that judges already apply “a rigorous approach to the exercise of their discretion as defined by statute”.

And that view is shared by district judges who sit in magistrates’ courts — or “stipendiaries” as they used to be called.

“There is, in essence, nothing wrong with the present state of the law,” they say. “There is nothing to suggest that a difference in the law would have affected the decisions reached in the cases of Peart and Weddell; neither can courts protect against future actions which on the facts before them simply cannot be anticipated.”

But this is where the law of unintended consequences comes in. The district judges draw attention to a damning report on the Peart case published in April by the four inspectorates that review the Crown Prosecution Service, the police, court administration and the prisons.

“There is no single or specific act or omission in the course of events which can properly be said to constitute a predictable link leading to the chain of events leading to the defendant killing Richard Whelan while there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest,” the inspectors reported. “However, what we have found is what may best be described as a lackadaisical or nonchalant approach within the criminal justice system to many routine aspects of the handling of cases, the cumulative effect of which was to lead to the [killing].

The inspectors’ warning should be heeded, say the district judges.

“It is clear to those of us who sit daily in the magistrates’ courts from our meetings with relatively senior CPS and court legal staff that they are not even aware of the review’s conclusions and recommendations. In our experience, there continues daily in magistrates’ courts to be a lack of diligence in verifying suggested bail conditions and scant evidence of prompt and thereafter effective enforcement of those conditions.”

The district judges referred to cases where a defendant appeared in court, only for it to become apparent that he had broken some of his conditions while on bail.

“Appropriate action is not always taken — namely the immediate arrest of the defendant pursuant to section 7 of the Bail Act 1976 — be it because of a lack of police resources or a lack of knowledge on the part of prosecutors and legal advisers as to the correct procedure to be adopted.”

Crown Prosecution Service lawyers routinely provide the court with a list of previous convictions that does not include up-to-date details of the last period in custody nor impending prosecutions for which the defendant may already be on bail, the district judges complain.

“The police often bail offenders who are already subject to and have offended on bail; indeed it is not uncommon to witness in court the non-attendance of defendants bailed by the police for offences which include failure to surrender to bail.

“A failure by the police to understand the provisions of the Bail Act 1976 and their application is evident in some areas, as is their refusal to accept assistance offered both by court and CPS staff to engage in joint training for those responsible for making/advising on decisions as to bail.”

The district judges’ response is endorsed by the campaign group Justice, which quotes a further extract from the inspectorate report.

“The most striking feature of our findings,” said the inspectors, “does not relate to the systems and processes which were then in operation (some of which could be stronger), but to the attitudes and cultures of the criminal justice system to the handling of cases involving the commission of further offences while the defendant is on bail and the degree of tolerance towards non-compliance with bail conditions.”

The message to Mr Straw is clear — indeed it has been since the inspectorate report was published in April. We don’t need a high-profile change in the law on bail. What we do need is steady, unglamorous training to ensure that the existing law is properly applied.

But that would cost money, as well as bumping up the prison population. Something of a dilemma for the Government? Its response to this consultation paper should make interesting reading.

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More News About Wargod

Three of the wannabe bounty hunters who allegedly stormed a home for the elderly looking for a fugitive said on Friday that they had been duped by the ringleaders of their outfit.

The five-person fugitive recovery agency, Wargod Inc., operated illegally — without certification by a court system or being employed by a bail bondsman — according to police.

Professional bondsmen, who post bail for defendants, must obtain their licenses from the state Insurance Department and register with their local district attorney. They also must maintain a phone number and operate an office in each county in which they work, according to Insurance Department regulations.

Wargod's alleged leaders, Lawrence Colon, 39, and Kelly Hefferon, 40, whose home on Route 715 in Jackson Township was the outfit's base of operations, purportedly convinced the rest of their team members — and one of their parents — that the firm was legitimate.

"They even told me they had all those papers from the court and the state," Lucienne Normil, mother of Wargod member Darryl Normil, 21, said Friday outside District Judge Debby York's office.

"Those three are innocent," she said, referring to her son and to Anthony Laino and James Farrell, both 35.

Normil waived his right to a preliminary hearing. He faces charges that he impersonated a public servant, which is a misdemeanor, and summary charges for improperly using emergency lights and signals on his Ford Focus. His bail was reduced from $100,000 to $10,000.

He also stands accused of a felony charge for possessing a firearm. Already convicted of a felony, he is barred from having weapons.

Normil had previously been sentenced to a year's probation for theft and receiving stolen property. About six months later, he pleaded guilty to using another person's credit card without authorization.

Wargod initially attracted police attention after Hefferon's neighbors complained repeatedly about shots being fired in her back yard and sirens sounding until after midnight.

On Sept. 26, state police went to the house after another complaint from neighbors. Unbeknownst to police, Wargod was out hunting for a wanted criminal.

According to police, Wargod's search took them to West Gate apartments, a home for the elderly. They ran up and down the halls and tried to get into an apartment, which prompted a 911 call.

Wargod's appearance — black military fatigues, assault vests with empty holsters, badges, cans of mace and handcuffs — also prompted an emergency phone call in downtown Stroudsburg.

State police met with the members of Wargod once they returned to Hefferon's house that night. Officials later ran a background check and discovered that the company was not properly licensed and that two of its members, Normil and Colon, were felons.

"There were some things that should've been done that were not done," a pained Anthony Laino, 35, told reporters as he was led out of York's courtroom.

"I just made the mistake of being with the wrong crowd," Laino said before state police drove him away. "I just want to forget about this."

Charged with the misdemeanor impersonation charge, Laino had his bail reduced to $5,000. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and proceeded straight to trial.

On his way out of the courtroom in police custody, Farrell said that Colon had duped him.

"He had a good line," said Farrell, who also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. "He said it was legal."

Farrell apologized to police and said he would no longer attempt to be a bounty hunter. "Next time, I'll let them do it," he said.

Accused of the misdemeanor impersonation, Farrell's bail was reduced to $1,000.

All three — Laino, Normil and Farrell — are cooperating with the District Attorney's office, according to Assistant D.A., Colleen Mancuso.

But she did not believe ignorance excused their actions.

"They knew and should have known because of their backgrounds that this could not be legitimate," Mancuso said. "What was their thought process? They could've been killed."

Colon and Hefferon, who did not comment when separately leaving York's courtroom, allegedly also made other efforts to convince their team that Wargod was for real. They administered exams and essays and levied $20 fines on team members if they were late posting bonds, according to Tom Sundmaker, Normil's lawyer.

Neighbors also told a reporter that they occasionally had seen the Wargod staffers armed, clad in black and marching in formation up and down Jackson View Road.

Colon and Hefferon both face impersonation misdemeanor charges. A felon, Colon also faces the firearms rap.

Hefferon also has been issued summary charges for improperly using emergency lights and signals.

They did not have lawyers at the preliminary hearing. Their hearings were rescheduled for Friday.


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Bondsmen Lose One Of Their Own

To this day, Richard Hodges is an enigma to former Austin police officer Burt Gerding.

Hodges, who died Oct. 6 at age 85, was a bail bondsman, someone Gerding bumped into frequently at the courthouse during the 1960s and '70s. In those days, if you were accused of a crime and couldn't make bail, you needed someone like Hodges to get you out. Judges wouldn't let you out on the promise to appear in court.

The job, and the way he did it, made Hodges a fixture at the courthouse during his heyday. The courthouse community was smaller then, and for a time, Hodges was the man you talked to if you didn't want to sit in a cell, according to those who remember him during those days. They said the brown-eyed, olive-skinned Hodges was a central character at the courthouse. He defied easy characterization by gregariously rubbing elbows with pretty much everyone there: cops, judges, prosecutors, celebrities, clerks, defense attorneys and criminals.

In exchange for a fee, usually about 10 percent of the bail, a bondsman vouches for a defendant, promising to pay the full bail amount if the accused doesn't appear in court.

"He did bonds for the Overton Gang, for Webbie Flanagan," said Gerding, who worked with FBI organized-crime investigators. "But then again, he did them for a lot of people. He was on the edge of everything."

The Overton Gang was a notorious clan of bank burglars, and John Webster "Webbie" Flanagan, the Overtons' lawyer, was among the attorneys with whom Hodges worked. Flanagan was later convicted on drug-smuggling charges.

Roy Minton, then a young criminal defense attorney, said Hodges established a profitable arrangement with some defense attorneys. Hodges would be called if a lawyer he knew found a client who needed a bail bondsman; conversely, one of the lawyers would get a call if someone Hodges bailed out needed legal counsel.

"To be honest," Minton said, "we abused (the arrangement) top, side and bottom in those days."

Frank Maloney, then a prosecutor, remembered Hodges as a scrupulously honest man. But his profession came with rough edges. Hodges' daughter Sheila Meeks, 52, recalled that one of his clients ran out on a $100,000 bond, leaving Hodges on the hook for the entire amount. Hodges hauled the accused drug dealerback from Mexico — and got a Christmas card from him every year, Meeks said.

"Daddy treated everyone respectfully, whether they were rich or poor," she said. "He was one of those people that everyone is drawn to."

Meeks said Hodges established a social network that included luminaries such as former Texas Gov. Price Daniel, Travis County Sheriff T.O. Lang and country singer Willie Nelson. "You'd think Daddy wanted to get a picture with Willie," Meeks said, "but it was Willie who wanted to get a picture with Daddy."

Away from the courthouse, Hodges hunted and fished, raised his seven children and pursued other business ventures. One of them was an establishment on East Sixth Street called Bar 609, where Hodges would sing and serve drinks to customers. He opened the place before the college bars moved in, at a time when, as Gerding put it, "that part of town was like Skid Row."

By the mid-1970s, changes in the law were making bail bonding a less lucrative business. Following a nationwide trend, the courts began releasing those accused of low-level crimes on the promise to appear in court. Other changes followed. Bail bondsmen began disappearing from the scene. Hodges' family said he continued bail bonding until the early 1990s, when he retired to his 138-acre ranch in Leander.

Courthouse regulars say Hodges began fading from the scene in the late 1970s — taking a little bit of its character with him.

"He looked the part," said Hodges' son, 65-year-old Richard Hodges Jr. "He played the part. He was the part."

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South Carolina Bondsman Gives Interview About His Duties

Jimmy Robinson's family has been in the bail bond business for 34 years. Robinson says it's rare for defendants on bail to run.

"It's not necessarily they're gonna flee the state," Robinson said. "They just go into hiding and they figure if they put their head in the ground and hide, it will go away."

Robinson says when he's hired to post bond, it's also his job to keep tabs on the defendant.

"It is the responsibility of the bonding company to make sure he lives where he says he's living, that he's working where he's supposed to be working, and that he appears in court," he said.

If the defendant doesn't appear in court, Robinson can lose a lot of cash.

"If it is a $50,000 bond, you stand to lose $50,000," he warned.

If one of the Robinson's clients jumps bail or fails to appear in court, they're licensed to go after them, arrest them and bring them back to jail.

"If you don't show up, you flee and that bond is forfeited, I'm gonna pay the money," Robinson said. "But I'm gonna go after your family, so it's a kind of locked in protection with us."

Robinson says he gets written reminders from the solicitor's office about court dates.

"They're kind enough to give us notice. They're not required to do it, but they do it," he said.

Still that doesn't guarantee a defendant will come to court. If that's the case, Robinson and his sons will be ready for action.

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Bounty Hunters To Head Caylee Search

EquuSearch will be in Central Florida next month along with bounty hunter Leonard Padilla.

Padilla and a group of other bounty hunters will be trained to be team leaders in the search for the 3-year-old.

Padilla bonded Caylee's mother, Casey, out of jail when she was charged with child neglect.

Casey Anthony is back in jail charged with Caylee's murder, Local 6 reported.

EquuSearch officials said they plan to sit down with law enforcement and go over any tips and sightings that have surfaced before the Nov. 7 search begins.

Meanwhile, Casey Anthony pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that she killed her daughter.

Casey Anthony's written plea came three days after a grand jury indicted her on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators about the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee.

Caylee has not been seen since June but wasn't reported missing until a month later. The child's grandmother, Cindy Anthony, first called authorities in July to say that she hadn't seen Caylee for a month and that her daughter's car smelled like death.

Casey Anthony, 22, told authorities that she had left her daughter with a baby sitter in June, and that the two were gone when she returned from work. She said she spent the next month trying to find her daughter and didn't call authorities because she was scared.

Investigators immediately started poking holes in her story. The apartment where Casey Anthony said she had left her daughter had been vacant for months, they said. They said she also lied when she told them she had been working at an area theme park as an event planner.

Her attorney, Jose Baez, didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages Friday. Shortly before the indictment was issued Tuesday, he said he believed his client would be vindicated.

Caylee On Cover Of People Magazine

For the second time in the last few months, People magazine has decided to put Caylee Anthony on its cover.

The issue, which hit newsstands on Friday with the cover headline "A Mom's Web Of Lies," features a big picture of the 3-year-old with a smaller image of her mother.

Unlike the first story People wrote regarding Caylee, the Anthony family was not interviewed.

Cindy Anthony said she felt duped by People after the first article was released.

"We did not in any way mislead anybody about what the story was, which is a story about this missing toddler," said Betsy Gleick of People.

The current story features a lengthy article that recaps the entire story with recently released photos of Casey Anthony allegedly using stolen checks to purchase items.

The story says the family continues to search for Caylee, and a private investigator is following a tip of a possible Caylee sighting two weeks ago, where someone took a grainy pic of a child who looked like the missing girl.

The current story went to press before murder charges were issued against Casey Anthony.

Meanwhile, Casey Anthony is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, Oct. 28 in her murder case. On Nov. 5, pretrial proceedings are set for her child neglect and fraud cases.

Baez: Caylee Is Alive

The spokesman for an attorney representing Casey Anthony said Thursday that they believe the child is alive, and that he never told a cable television network the girl was dead.

Caylee's body has not been found in four months of searches, but her family has maintained she is alive.

"That is our belief," spokesman Todd Black said Thursday. "It's preposterous to report anything else."

The child's mother, Casey Anthony, was indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated abuse of a child, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators. Her attorneys have said she is innocent.

Black was interviewed by CNN Headline News on Tuesday. A transcript released by the network showed Black said "this is a very serious case involving not just the loss of the life of this little girl, but the loss of whatever is going to happen with Casey Anthony."

Jose Baez, Anthony's lawyer, held a news conference on Thursday to discuss the issue.

"We believe Caylee is alive," Baez said. "To take that out of context is a disservice to the Anthonys and the child."

The network stood by its interview.

"This was a live interview, and it is what he said," said Janine Iamunno, a Headline News spokeswoman.

Anthony told authorities that she had left her daughter with a baby sitter in June, and that when she returned after work, the two were gone.

Anthony said she spent the next month trying to find her daughter on her own and didn't call authorities out of fear. The child's grandmother called authorities and said her daughter's car "smelled like death."

But investigators said the apartment where the baby sitter supposedly lived had been vacant for months and that Anthony lied about her job.

Earlier this week, Baez, said: "I sincerely believe that when we have finally spoken, everyone, and I mean everyone, will sit back and say, 'Now, I understand. That explains it.'"

Judge Rules On Motions

Meanwhile, Ninth Circuit Judge Stan Strickland released his order on Anthony's motion to preserve forensic evidence and to consider additional testing.

The order stated:

"Being duly advised in the premises, the defendant's motion is denied in part and granted in part.

"Specifically, the portion of the defendant's motion which seeks to halt the handling and analysis of any and all forensic evidence is denied. The court knows of no authority or logical reason why the state should be prevented, even temporarily, from further analysis of relevant evidence.

"The defendant's request to be notified in advance regarding any further testing is granted. Following reasonable notice by the state the defendant may have an expert present to view any further scientific testing performed by the state. Should the defendant choose to have an expert present at any further testing, the expert's presence is merely to view and document the means and manner of testing. The right for a defense expert to be present at any further testing does not include the right to interfere with, thwart, or even comment on the testing procedures as they occur. The state shall make every effort to retain a large enough sample of any item tested so that the defense expert may have an opportunity to conduct their own test on same. Reliability and admissibility of any test performed by either party is not the subject of this motion or order."

Vehicle Swap Before Arrest

On Tuesday, Cindy Anthony, the mother of Casey Anthony, was videotaped scolding a TV news van and erratically cutting across traffic before her daughter was secretly transferred to a vehicle and later arrested during a wild post-indictment ride in Orlando streets.

A grand jury issued a sealed indictment charging Casey Anthony with first-degree murder in the death of daughter Caylee, even though the child's body has not been found during a four-month search.

The grand jury also charged Anthony with aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to investigators about Caylee's disappearance.

After the indictment was delivered, Casey Anthony and her mother left attorney Jose Baez's office in Kissimmee and began to drive around Orlando at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Cindy Anthony was videotaped cutting across two lanes of traffic in an apparent attempt to lose several television crews following behind.

Anthony then cut across a shopping center and drove through parking lots.

Sky 6 showed Cindy Anthony eventually jumping out of the vehicle on a road and waving her finger at the driver of a television van while walking down the road.

Anthony jumped back in her SUV and drove into a no-fly zone near the Orlando International Airport and Casey Anthony switched vehicles.

"They pulled a switcharoo," a photographer yelled as the cars stopped underneath an overpass and out of view of helicopters.

A car traveling behind another sport utility vehicle then cut off a Local 6 vehicle.

Local 6 asked Baez about the incident.

"As he attempted to try to get away from them, he didn't know if someone was trying to harm Casey or what," Baez said. "At that point, finally, it turned about to be law enforcement and they in turned pulled him over and (the driver) identified himself as the bondsman."

Anthony was taken into custody by police during the stop.

Baez also said he didn't want a media circus or anyone filming Anthony being handcuffed, Local 6 reported.

A national search for Caylee continues.