Bail Bond Companies are Worth the Costs for Most

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees individuals the right to fair and reasonable bail. Most importantly, it protects individuals from excessive bail.

The purpose of bail bonds are twofold. First, it allows people to be free from incarceration while the criminal process is proceeding. Second, it acts as a guarantee that a defendant will show up to court or they forfeit their money.

Bond amounts are set by the judge who bases the decision on the severity of the crime, a person's criminal history, the individual's flight risk potential, among other considerations. A judge may place a no bond hold on a person if the defendant is found to be a flight risk. In the absence of flight risk, the judge should set a reasonable bail based upon the entirety of the circumstances.

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Minimum Payments Should be Required of Suspects for Bail Bonds

It came as a complete surprise when, in the wake of the slaying of four Lakewood police officers, it was revealed that their murderer was released from jail three times that year without ever paying more than 4 percent of his bail amount up front.

Most people — prosecutors and judges included — were under the mistaken assumption that a criminal defendant must post 10 percent of the bail amount before gaining his or her release.

Voters in November closed one bail loophole when they approved House Joint Resolution 4220, a constitutional amendment allowing judges to deny bail in certain circumstances such as when the defendant is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole or there is convincing evidence of a propensity for violence that would likely endanger the public.

A whopping 84.6 percent of the voters approved the amendment setting the tougher bail standards.

The Legislature recognized that there were other loopholes in the law and appointed a task force to look into the matter.

Snohomish County prosecutor Mark Roe said some of his fellow task force members were “disillusioned” they didn’t know bail bondsmen required less than 10 percent to bail a client out of jail. “To be honest, I was embarrassed,” he told the Seattle Times.

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British Court Orders Leader of WikiLeaks Freed on Bail

LONDON — After a week in detention facing possible extradition, Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks antisecrecy group, was ordered released on $310,000 bail by a court on Tuesday as he challenges a Swedish prosecutor’s demand that he return to Stockholm for questioning about alleged sex offenses.

However, it remained unclear whether Mr. Assange would be freed this evening, or whether he would be taken back to detention pending a probable appeal by the prosecutor. One of his lawyers, Mark Stephens, said he was likely to spend another night in custody.

Judge Howard Riddle ordered that Mr. Assange appear again in court on Jan. 11. He also said that between then and now he must reside at Ellingham Hall, a Georgian mansion in Bungay, in eastern England, owned by Vaughan Smith, the founder of a club for journalists. Mr. Assange must spend every night at the mansion and will be electronically tagged so the police can track his movements, the judge said.

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Washington Task Force Makes Bail System Recommendations

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - A Washington state task force formed after the shooting deaths of four police officers recommended on Wednesday tighter regulation of bail bondsmen and more information-sharing with judges who set bail.

The suspect in the police deaths, Maurice Clemmons, bailed out of jail three times in 2009 without ever paying more than 4 percent up front, including just days before the Lakewood police shootings, the Seattle Times reported.

Unlike some states, Washington does not require people getting a bail bond to pay 10 percent of its value.

The 20-person task force, which was created to study the bail system following the police deaths, did not suggest minimum payment rates for those who get a bail bond.

Judges, prosecutors and victims' advocates have argued for a fixed bail bond premium. But defense attorneys and others have worried that a minimum payment could hurt the poor, the Times reported.

Task force member and Snohomish County prosecutor Mark Roe said some officials were "disillusioned" they didn't know bail bondsmen required less than 10 percent.

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Women Making An Impact In The Bail Bonds World

The bail bonds business, like many others, is often thought of as an old boy's club because the industry is seemingly dominated by men. Bail agents are sometimes stereotyped as a rough and tumble community that must match the perceived decorum of the defendants they serve. However, women are making serious inroads into the bail bonds world and doing it on their own terms. In fact, over half of the licensed bail bondsmen in California aren't actually “bondsmen” at all. They are bail bondswomen.

As the female presence grows in the bail bonds industry, they are starting to get much deserved attention for their contributions. For example, Jillian Hughes maintains a blog devoted to female bail bond issues at bail bonds girl which regularly highlights the impact of women in the industry.


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Violent Crime Up, Says NY Times! NY Bondsmen Crucial, Says NYPBA; Bondsmen to Follow NYCPL and Contracts, Says NY DOI (OGC)

George Zouvelos, president and founder of the New York Professional Bondsmen and Agents ( The NYPBA ) Http://http://www.nypba.net (http://www.NYPBA.net NY Professional Bondsmen and Agents (The NYPBA ), a New York State Professional Bail Bondsman business owner and the representative from the State of New York for the “Counsel of Presidents” of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States, Http://http://www.PBUS.com, notes the New York Times reports (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/nyregion/26crime.html), what the NYPBA has asserted these past 24 months, violent crimes in New York City are up, the need for bail assistance has doubled, financial wherewithal of the citizenry to post bail has greatly diminished and private contractual matters are not within the Departments purview.

“Violent crime categories are up, in addition to the unimproved economic condition of the public-at-large, and the lack of ‘liquid cash’ on hand by the consumer, the increase request for bail assistance services provided by the New York professional bail bondsmen has been on the rise steadily. Professional bail bondsmen in New York and elsewhere have noted that the individual wherewithal to afford same has dramatically decreased even when seeking the low cost bail bond services as provided by the professional surety bail bondsmen in any state,” said George Zouvelos.

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Los Angeles Bail Bonds Company Named Expert Bail Bondsman

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) November 19, 2010 - Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds, a family owned and operated bail bonds company, has been named to the elite bondsmen at Expert Bail.

ExpertBail is a nationwide network of trusted bail agents consisting of an elite group of bondsmen committed to doing business in a professional and ethical manner in order to eradicate the negative public image of the bail bondsman portrayed in the media.

The ExpertBail network is being developed by the oldest and largest family of bail bonds underwriting companies, AIA, headed by Los Angeles local Nairin family. With ExpertBail, communities around California now have a resource for information on and how to find the most professional and quality bail agents in their areas.

"As a bondsman, we've always struggled with the stereotype of the neon sign and cigar filled room. For the professionals amongst bail companies, nothing could be further from reality. I applaud AIA and Expert Bail for helping to shine a light on the stand-out bondsmen in our industry," says lifelong bondsman, Greg Rynerson. "I've been proud to be affiliated with the Nairin family, AIA and now with Expert Bail."


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Man Wanted for Shooting Bail Bondsmen Arrested in Michigan

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A man police said shot a bail bondsman in the foot on Nov. 5 while at an apartment has been arrested in Michigan, according to Winston-Salem Police. Shots were fired at three bail bondsmen Nov. 5 when the group attempted to locate a man who skipped his bail.

Police said the incident happened at an apartment at 104 Penner St. just after midnight. Police said Michael Todd Smith, a bondsman, and two of his colleagues were attempting to locate Lamont Develle King, 26, of 104 Penner St., for skipping bail.

As the three men forced their way into King's apartment, he fired several shots at the bondsmen. Smith and the two other bondsmen returned fire and Smith was struck in the foot during the exchange.

The bondsmen told police King then returned inside the apartment. Winston-Salem Police went to King's apartment but were unable to locate him.


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Bail Bondsman Shot in Winston-Salem

WINSTON-SALEM — A bail bondsman was shot in one foot while he was trying to take into custody a wanted suspect, who managed to get away.

Winston-Salem police said Michael Todd Smith and two colleagues with Surety Bonding went to 104 Penner St. earlier today to locate a wanted suspect. At 1:25 a.m., Smith and the two other bondmen forced open the door.

The suspect inside fired several shots from a handgun at the bondsmen. The bondsmen returned fire as the suspect went back into the apartment.

The 43-year-old Smith, who lives in Thomasville, suffered a gunshot wound to one of his feet. Police did not give Smith's condition.

The police department's Special Enforcement Team later entered the apartment but could not find the suspect.

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Special Report: A Day in the Life of a Bail Bondsman

You hope you never need it but we all know there's a business out that there that thrives off people messing up and going to jail.

Bail bondsmen help get a lot of people out from behind bars but it doesn't stop there.

Pit Bull is a bail bondsman and a bounty hunter. He's a guy who loves his job and isn't afraid to play tough.

"It's not a 9 to 5 job," said Doug Graue "Pit Bull". "Never know what's going to happen."Graue says when someone is in jail looking to get out he can be their best friend.

"When they run, I'm their worst enemy," he said.

He left 20 years of police work behind for life as a bail bondsman.

"You're always a little nervous because you don't know what's going to happen," Graue said.

He is based out of Hayti in Pemiscot county and covers 30 counties.

His mission on the day we caught up with him was to find a man he bailed out of jail on 10 percent of $25,000 bond not long ago."The subject we bonded out hasn't met up with his obligations. He's moving from house to house every few weeks," Graue said.

Graue says the bail bondsman has a big responsibility.

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Paint this big square state purple. Again.

Joining the echoes heard across the country, Colorado voters on Tuesday began restoring some Republicans to power across Colorado. However, true to the independent streak that runs strong through this Western state, Democrats held their own.

Democratic Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, having benefitted from a fractured Republican Party, will be the state's 42nd governor.

The U.S. Senate race between Democrat Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck still was too close to call as of our deadline. The fact a Democrat could stay so close in an otherwise good year for Republicans speaks to Colorado's independence.

Voters also wisely turned down three tax-slashing measures, Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101, which would have devastated a state budget that already has a $1 billion shortfall while shortchanging schools and roads.

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Proposition 102 Opposed by Law Enforcement

While the battle rages politically on senate and governor campaigns, and political watchers wage their wars against tax measures on Tuesday's ballot, one measure has been residing under much of the public radar.

Proposition 102.

The measure may not be garnering attention like amendments 60 and 61, and Proposition 101, but it could be just another nail in local government's coffin, say some opponents. Opponents of 102 paint it as a moneymaking measure for the state's bail agents — the people who help bail people out of jail and ensure they get to their court dates.

The measure asks voters to require only first-time, nonviolent offenders be let out of jail to a program called pretrial services without having to put up their own money. So far, there are 10 pretrial services programs in counties throughout the state, including Weld and Larimer. It's a court-, or county-operated program, which researches defendants' backgrounds to determine their risk factors in the community, which in turn helps judges determine their amount of bail. It also serves to monitor defendants upon release by providing drug and alcohol testing, and monitoring whereabouts, for example, to keep defendants in line with protection orders.


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Officials Say Connecticut's Bail System in Need of Major Reforms

BRIDGEPORT -- Connecticut's bail bond system is out of control.

More than 17,000 accused felons in Connecticut have skipped out on their bail bonds. Rules that require bondsmen to collect a certain percentage of each bail bond are routinely ignored.

The list of dangerous felons who have been released on bail only to kill or harm someone else is like a who's who of criminal defendants in the state.

Selami Ozdemir, of West Haven, was bonded out on a Saturday in January and shot his wife to death the next day.

Darryl Crenshaw was bonded out while awaiting trial on kidnapping charges and then beat his girlfriend to death in July 2008.

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Houma Bail Bondsman and Wrestler Earns Spot in Louisana Hall of Fame

HOUMA — When Chad “Bronco Bob” Bonvillain of Houma was inducted into the newly established Louisiana Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame on Oct. 16, he said his emotions bubbled over inside the Amelia Recreation Center.

“I'm the first individual wrestler to be named to it,” the 38-year-old said. “They're going to start putting guys in it on a regular basis, and it should be a great thing in terms of getting some local guys in the sport recognized.”

The 6-foot-7, 400-pound bail bondsman and bounty hunter spent much of the past 17 years pursuing wrestling as a full-time career but recently shifted to part-time. Bonvillain has shared the ring with greats like the Junkyard Dog and Buff Bagwell, among others.

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Prop. 102 Would Force Defendants to Pay to Remain Free Before Trial

Colorado voters will decide this November whether to pass a proposal into law that would result in more criminal defendants having to put up cash to secure their pretrial release from jail.

Supporters say Proposition 102 will ensure defendants will be more likely to show up for court dates because their own money or their family's money will be at stake.

"They will have skin in the game, so to speak," said Mike Paul Donovan, a Douglas County resident who is pushing the proposal, and is a lobbyist for Seneca Insurance, which has a bail-bond division.

But a coalition of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and defense lawyers is urging voters to defeat the proposal.

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St. Louis Bail Bondsman Shot in Robbery Attempt

ST. LOUIS (KMOX)__ A St. Louis bail bondsman is in critical condition after being shot during a robbery Saturday night.

Police say the 52-year-old victim was struck in the chest, back and side shortly before eight p.m. at his home in the 700 block of Carr.

The bondsman fired back but police don’t know if either suspect was hit. The victim’s name has not been released.

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Police: Bail Bondsman Seen Buying Heroin

NEW BRITAIN - A Newington bail bondsman was arrested on a drug charge Monday after he allegedly bought heroin from a dealer Special Service Unit members had under surveillance, police said.

Stephen Angelillo, 37, of 84 Dowd St., Newington was tailed and stopped by officers after the transaction took place Monday on Trinity Street in New Britain. Police were originally watching Mitchell Lurry who would meet customers on Trinity Street so they wouldn’t know his actual address when they saw Angelillo show up to make a buy, Sgt. Jerry Chrostowski said.

Angelillo had 13 packets of heroin with him when his car was pulled over, police said. He was charged with possession of narcotics and released on bond. Lurry was found with more than $10,000 in heroin and $29,000 in cash after unit members searched his home and car Monday.


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Bail Bondsman Hit with Bank's Door in Des Moines

A wanted man got the better of a bail bondsman by smashing his hand in a revolving door and taking off on foot Friday. Police later caught up to the suspect at the bus station.

Lonnie Fentress of Iowa Bail Bonds picked up Garrett J. Jesmer, 18, at the Polk County Jail so he could post bond. Fentress drove Jesmer to the Wells Fargo Bank at 666 Walnut St. to withdraw $8,300 for his bond, police said.

Fentress removed Jesmer's handcuffs as a courtesy and to avoid causing alarm among bank patrons, police said.

Fentress, 46, told police Jesmer turned and used the bank's revolving door as a weapon by slamming it backwards onto Fentress' hand, then taking off on foot.


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Duane 'Dog' Chapman Rushed to Hospital in Los Angeles on Saturday After Blood Clot Scare: Report

It was a dog day afternoon for Duane Chapman on Saturday.

The "Dog the Bounty Hunter" star was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center after sustaining an injury while on a bounty hunt, his wife told TMZ.com.

Chapman felt pain and was sent to the ER "to avoid possible serious complications," according to RadarOnline.com.

His wife, Beth Smith, told TMZ.com that Chapman was treated for internal bleeding and tested for a possible blood clot.

"Duane is in very capable hands and and we thank everyone for their prayers,"she wrote in a statement on the 57-year-old reality star's official website.

He was released the same day following a thorough check-up.

"Yes dog is injured it is an occupational hazard that we deal with he is very strong and in excellent condition he will 4 sure survive," his wife tweeted on Sunday.

"Dog the Bounty Hunter" premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. on A&E.

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Bondsman Makes it his Mission to Catch One Particular Bail Jumper

CLEARWATER — If you watch the Tampa Bay Rays on television, you've probably seen him. Bald head. Olive skin. Downcast eyes. Wanted for beating up a woman, among other dirty deeds.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is looking for Brian Andrew Word, but perhaps not nearly as intensely as Al Estes Bail Bonds Inc. It's spending $1,400 a month on TV ads featuring Word during all Rays games and offering $7,500 for information leading to his arrest.

"He's a menace to society," said Al Estes Sr. He's dangerous, Estes said, especially to women. Still, he's not the worst the bail bondsman has run across.

So why is he so focused on this guy?

There's the money. Estes stands to lose nearly $100,000 if Word doesn't turn up, though it wouldn't be the first time he's lost money on a bail jumper.

He tells every customer who comes through his office: You might make mistakes, you might be addicted or dishonest, but you don't ignore your court date.

Don't make him come after you. Because he will.

"We're going to get him," said Estes, 77 years old and not afraid of a slick, 6-foot, 41-year-old "good-looking party guy" who apparently took the old man for a fool.

One day in October 2009, a lawyer called Estes' office seeking help for Word, arrested on charges of battery by strangulation, residential burglary and other charges connected to a dispute with Word's former girlfriend. It wasn't Word's first battery arrest.

Estes agreed to bail out Word if someone would vouch for him. Soon, Word's mother, Milene Johnson, showed up. Estes has good luck when mothers get involved. People rarely skip town and leave their mothers to deal with bail bondsmen.

The longer Word is a fugitive, the more Estes Sr. stands to lose. Estes had to pay almost $100,000 to the court since Word missed a February court date, but if he catches Word within two years, he'll get at least half of the amount back. After two years, Estes gets nothing.

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