Justice Department: Poor can't be held when can't afford bail

[rangerrebew]

Justice Department: Poor can't be held when can't afford bail
Administration says incarcerating indigents who can't pay violates 14th Amendment
Published: 8 hours ago

(NBC News) Holding defendants in jail because they can’t afford to make bail is unconstitutional, the Justice Department said in a court filing late Thursday — the first time the government has taken such a position before a federal appeals court.

It’s the latest step by the Obama administration in encouraging state courts to move away from imposing fixed cash bail amounts and jailing those who can’t pay.

“Bail practices that incarcerate indigent individuals before trial solely because of their inability to pay for their release violate the Fourteenth Amendment,” the Justice Department said in a friend of court brief, citing the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection.
Read the full story ›

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/justice-department-poor-cant-be-held-when-cant-afford-bail/#dFTor3FBUabO0bGX.99

[Fishrrman]

Simply amazin'....

"The poor" -- you know they're really talking about blacks -- will be able to commit crimes with impunity, knowing that for practical purposes they can't be jailed because they "can't afford" bail.

Indeed, the more vicous the crime (which would normally result in HIGHER bail), the GREATER the chance they have of walking away.

The new rhyme on da street:
Do the crime
The left don' min'
Cuz you can't pay
You walkz away!

[geronl]

so... what is bail for again?

[Oceander]

so... what is bail for again?

Bail is to provide some security that the accused will return to court.  It is not intended to be a means of keeping the person in prison.

[bob434]

bail 1  (bāl)
n.
1. Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial.

2. Release from imprisonment provided by the payment of such money.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bail

There is nothing that guarantees that a person be released before trial- bail is often denied- bail is a privilege that allows the release of a person if the person can pay but it is not a right- when a person is arrested- they can be held without bail or a judge can grant bail based o n the character of the person and circumstances-

[Just_Victor]

Bail is to provide some security that the accused will return to court.  It is not intended to be a means of keeping the person in prison.

We'll have to rewrite the definition I guess.  It's now just the latest form of affirmative action.

[jmyrlefuller]

citing the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection

That seems to be the only part of the Constitution they've ever read.

Any real scholar—heck, a high school student—would know it's the 8th Amendment that prohibits excessive bail explicitly.

[andy58-in-nh]

“Bail practices that incarcerate indigent individuals before trial solely because of their inability to pay for their release violate the Fourteenth Amendment,” the Justice Department said in a friend of court brief, citing the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection.

No - the exact opposite is true (but we're talking about Obama's INjustice Department here. Bail practices that do not incarcerate people who would normally be subject to such bail requirements simply because they claim not to be able to raise the necessary amount discriminate against people who are accused of precisely the same crimes, but who can raise the requisite amount.  Bail is a discretionary privilege, not a right.

[rodamala]

Contrary to what she may have said previously, Hillary is NOT "Dead Broke".

[Jewbacca]

so... what is bail for again?

Apparently it's now just another progressive tax.