May 16, 2023 – Bamby Salcedo: ‘The legal system targets & cages poor people.’ “We need to completely change the way the system is set up because the truth is that the cash bail system impacts everyone.”
May 16, 2023 – In Major Blow To LA County’s Cash Bail System, Judge Issues Injunction Limiting Bail Prior To Arraignment. Frank Stolze, LAist.
May 16, 2023 – Judge blocks the use of pre-arraignment cash bail in LA. Hillel Aron, Courthouse News Service. “The bombshell ruling means that Los Angeles effectively reverts back to its Covid-era policy of ‘zero bail.’”
May 16, 2023 – Los Angeles Superior Court Issues Preliminary Injunction in Money Bail Lawsuit. Public Justice coalition press release. “While this case is still ongoing, we are pleased with Judge Riff’s ruling, which has an immediate impact on most individuals arrested in Los Angeles County,” said Munger, Tolles & Olson Chair Brad Brian, who, along with Salil Dudani of Civil Rights Corps, argued the motion for the preliminary injunction. “We are confident that LA County bail policies are unconstitutional and look forward to proving that at trial.”
May 7, 2023 – Editorial: Unconscionable abuse and shameful inaction at L.A. County jails. LA Times Editorial Board. “Meanwhile, in a nearby courtroom, in the case of Urquidi vs. City of Los Angeles, criminologists testified that scientific research demonstrates to a 95% degree of certainty that jail is criminogenic, meaning that incarceration makes a person more likely to be arrested for new crimes.”
April 17th, 2023 – Pretrial detention can lead to more crime, psychologist testifies. Antoine Abou-Diwan, Daily Journal. “Pretrial detention ‘is criminogenic. It serves to create the things we are trying to avoid,’ said Michael R. Jones, a clinical psychologist who studied criminal behavior in juveniles and has focused on pretrial justice issues since 2005. Jones was called by the plaintiffs.”
April 14, 2023 – Court hears live testimony in lengthy hearing over pre-arraignment cash bail. Hillel Aron, Courthouse News Service. “The hearing, now well into its third week, shows no sign in letting up. And it may include a surprise witness: LAPD Chief Michael Moore.”
April 14, 2023 – Sheriff can’t pull data to answer judge’s bail questions. Antoine Abou-Diwan, Daily Journal. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does not have a way to assess rearrest rates for people released from custody without paying bail prior to arraignment versus those who paid bail. The sheriff’s sergeant made that revelation on Wednesday during a hearing before Superior Court Judge Lawrence P. Riff, who unsuccessfully sought answers about the effects of the COVID-era-zero-dollar emergency bail schedule (EBS) on public safety.”
April 6, 2023 – Pretrial Detention Punishes Poor People for Being Unable to Afford Bail. Alicia Virani and Bahar Mirhosseni, Teen Vogue. “The UCLA School of Law Bail Practicum focuses on the harms of unaffordable cash bail in California.”
March 28, 2023 – Three inmates died in Los Angeles County jails in just over a week. Keri Blakinger, L.A. Times. “Three Los Angeles County inmates died in an nine-day period this month, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a grim milestone that comes even as the county is facing scrutiny in court for using a cash bail system that can keep poor people behind bars.”
March 27, 2023 – Judge asked to dump cash bail system in Los Angeles. Hillel Aron, Courthouse News Service. “A marathon 2 1/2-day hearing had the judge mulling over a preliminary injunction that could have a monumental impact on criminal justice in LA County.”
March 26, 2023 – Editorial: Presumed guilty! The toxic cost of money bail. L.A. Times Editorial Board. “L.A.’s brief period of more perfect justice ended last year when the Los Angeles Superior Court rescinded its emergency zero-dollar bail policy... The demand for zero-dollar bail is righteous and should be granted.”
March 12, 2023 – Los Angeles’ bail schedule is unconstitutional and a threat to public safety. Miriam Aroni Krinsky, Erwin Chemerinsky, and Anthony Kline, LA Daily News. “As a former federal prosecutor, a constitutional law scholar and a former judge, we know that this system is not only unconstitutional but also undermines public safety by inflicting vast collateral consequences on individuals, many of whom will ultimately not even be charged with a crime.”
Jan. 16, 2023 – The price of freedom and criminalization of poverty. Civil Rights Corps CEO Dr. Danielle Dupuy-Watson. Los Angeles Blade. “The right to be treated fairly and equitably by institutions that govern this country remains an elusive concept.”
Dec. 30, 2022 – Op-Ed: In the new year, let’s end the money bail policy that rips families apart. Pastor Gary Williams, clergy plaintiff in Urquidi v. Los Angeles et. al, in the LA Times. “In 2002, while struggling with addiction, I was arrested. The only thing keeping me from being home with my family and continuing to seek the help I needed was money bail. But my family did not have the money to buy my freedom, so I was incarcerated for five months.”
Nov. 29, 2022 – Editorial: California still violates the Constitution on bail. L.A. Times Editorial Board. “The constitutional right to bail is a conditional right to release before trial, and is rendered meaningless if bail is set so high that the defendant can’t pay.”
Nov. 15, 2022 – LA Cash Bail System Challenged as Unconstitutional in Suit. Joe Schneider, Bloomberg.
Nov. 14, 2022 – ‘If I could buy freedom, I would’: LA residents who can’t afford bail sue to change system. Sam Levin, The Guardian. “Complaint on behalf of six detained people who have not yet seen a judge targets largest jail system in US.”
Nov. 14, 2022 – Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Los Angeles County’s Bail Schedule Policy. Public Justice coalition press release on filing of class action lawsuit against the County and City of Los Angeles and the LAPD and LASD.
March 28, 2023 – Three inmates died in Los Angeles County jails in just over a week. Keri Blakinger, L.A. Times. “Three Los Angeles County inmates died in an nine-day period this month, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a grim milestone that comes even as the county is facing scrutiny in court for using a cash bail system that can keep poor people behind bars.”
March 27, 2023 – Judge asked to dump cash bail system in Los Angeles. Hillel Aron, Courthouse News Service. “A marathon 2 1/2-day hearing had the judge mulling over a preliminary injunction that could have a monumental impact on criminal justice in LA County.”
March 26, 2023 – Editorial: Presumed guilty! The toxic cost of money bail. L.A. Times Editorial Board. “L.A.’s brief period of more perfect justice ended last year when the Los Angeles Superior Court rescinded its emergency zero-dollar bail policy... The demand for zero-dollar bail is righteous and should be granted.”
March 12, 2023 – Los Angeles’ bail schedule is unconstitutional and a threat to public safety. Miriam Aroni Krinsky, Erwin Chemerinsky, and Anthony Kline, LA Daily News. “As a former federal prosecutor, a constitutional law scholar and a former judge, we know that this system is not only unconstitutional but also undermines public safety by inflicting vast collateral consequences on individuals, many of whom will ultimately not even be charged with a crime.”
Jan. 16, 2023 – The price of freedom and criminalization of poverty. Civil Rights Corps CEO Dr. Danielle Dupuy-Watson. Los Angeles Blade. “The right to be treated fairly and equitably by institutions that govern this country remains an elusive concept.” –
Dec. 30, 2022 – Op-Ed: In the new year, let’s end the money bail policy that rips families apart. Pastor Gary Williams, clergy plaintiff in Urquidi v. Los Angeles et. al, in the LA Times. “In 2002, while struggling with addiction, I was arrested. The only thing keeping me from being home with my family and continuing to seek the help I needed was money bail. But my family did not have the money to buy my freedom, so I was incarcerated for five months.”
Nov. 29, 2022 – Editorial: California still violates the Constitution on bail. L.A. Times Editorial Board. “The constitutional right to bail is a conditional right to release before trial, and is rendered meaningless if bail is set so high that the defendant can’t pay.”
Nov. 15, 2022 – LA Cash Bail System Challenged as Unconstitutional in Suit. Joe Schneider, Bloomberg.
Nov. 14, 2022 – ‘If I could buy freedom, I would’: LA residents who can’t afford bail sue to change system. Sam Levin, The Guardian. “Complaint on behalf of six detained people who have not yet seen a judge targets largest jail system in US.”
Nov. 14, 2022 – Civil Rights Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Los Angeles County’s Bail Schedule Policy. Public Justice/coalition press release on filing of class action lawsuit against the County and City of Los Angeles and the LAPD and LASD.
