Calling On Local Law Enforcement Experts - Help Please

A little assistance, please –

• A guy recently was arrested for: trafficking in cocaine/marijuana, felony weapon possession, evidence destroying.

• His bond was set at $35,000

• He made bail – but it was done in increments of $5,000

• He has a fairly extensive prior arrest/conviction record.

Questions for the knowledgeable law enforcement professionals:

1.  Is it a judge who sets the bond amount?
2.  What are reasons for the seemingly low bond?
3.  Is previous record considered when determining the bond amount?
4.  Why is a $35K bond broken up into multiple $5K increments?

It is the judge who sets the bond. yes prior are considered, 1st offence?, and the bail bondsman probably let him make payments. Because its the bail bondsman who takes the risk of loosing the bond if the dude flies.

Not to mention you have crooked and sorry assed judges in your area.

1. The judge does set the bail... usually after prosecution and defense input.
2. Not sure... it does seem low.
3. It should be presented and calculated for flight risk.
4. The bail was probably the total of each charge... maybe 5k each.

Maybe they want him out to monitor his drug activities.

He could be cooperating and needs to be out to continue his drug dealing so they can set up others.

colaguy wrote:A little assistance, please –

• A guy recently was arrested for: trafficking in cocaine/marijuana, felony weapon possession, evidence destroying.

• His bond was set at $35,000

• He made bail – but it was done in increments of $5,000

• He has a fairly extensive prior arrest/conviction record.

Questions for the knowledgeable law enforcement professionals:

1.  Is it a judge who sets the bond amount?
2.  What are reasons for the seemingly low bond?
3.  Is previous record considered when determining the bond amount?
4.  Why is a $35K bond broken up into multiple $5K increments?

That's the guy they found $123,000 in cash in his apt. on Marlane Dr. Bond is not meant to keep you in jail but to make you come back for court.

Dreamsglore wrote:

colaguy wrote:A little assistance, please –

• A guy recently was arrested for: trafficking in cocaine/marijuana, felony weapon possession, evidence destroying.

• His bond was set at $35,000

• He made bail – but it was done in increments of $5,000

• He has a fairly extensive prior arrest/conviction record.

Questions for the knowledgeable law enforcement professionals:

1.  Is it a judge who sets the bond amount?
2.  What are reasons for the seemingly low bond?
3.  Is previous record considered when determining the bond amount?
4.  Why is a $35K bond broken up into multiple $5K increments?

That's the guy they found $123,000 in cash in his apt. on Marlane Dr. Bond is not meant to keep you in jail but to make you come back for court.

That's what I'm getting at. Why was bond set so low? This guy has $123K in cash and a lengthy record. What's keeping him from skipping town? Certainly not the measly $35K. And he didnt post it himself - he used a bondsman.

colaguy wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

colaguy wrote:A little assistance, please –

• A guy recently was arrested for: trafficking in cocaine/marijuana, felony weapon possession, evidence destroying.

• His bond was set at $35,000

• He made bail – but it was done in increments of $5,000

• He has a fairly extensive prior arrest/conviction record.

Questions for the knowledgeable law enforcement professionals:

1.  Is it a judge who sets the bond amount?
2.  What are reasons for the seemingly low bond?
3.  Is previous record considered when determining the bond amount?
4.  Why is a $35K bond broken up into multiple $5K increments?

That's the guy they found $123,000 in cash in his apt. on Marlane Dr. Bond is not meant to keep you in jail but to make you come back for court.

That's what I'm getting at. Why was bond set so low? This guy has $123K in cash and a lengthy record. What's keeping him from skipping town? Certainly not the measly $35K. And he didnt post it himself - he used a bondsman.

Dammit.......did you want him to use his drug money for bond?

colaguy wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

colaguy wrote:A little assistance, please –

• A guy recently was arrested for: trafficking in cocaine/marijuana, felony weapon possession, evidence destroying.

• His bond was set at $35,000

• He made bail – but it was done in increments of $5,000

• He has a fairly extensive prior arrest/conviction record.

Questions for the knowledgeable law enforcement professionals:

1.  Is it a judge who sets the bond amount?
2.  What are reasons for the seemingly low bond?
3.  Is previous record considered when determining the bond amount?
4.  Why is a $35K bond broken up into multiple $5K increments?

That's the guy they found $123,000 in cash in his apt. on Marlane Dr. Bond is not meant to keep you in jail but to make you come back for court.

That's what I'm getting at. Why was bond set so low? This guy has $123K in cash and a lengthy record. What's keeping him from skipping town? Certainly not the measly $35K. And he didnt post it himself - he used a bondsman.

He doesn't have the $123,000 anymore. The cops took it and will keep it. Bonds for drugs are not that high unless you're flight risk.

The Eighth Amendment to our Constitution:

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Is factored against consistency in prior bond settings by the judge, the prosecutors presentation of facts which include prior criminal activity and risk of flight, defense arguing mitigating circumstances, and state statutes specific to a particular crime. The judge is usually the final say on the amount, absent an interlocutory appeal where a higher court may hear arguments on eighth Amendment violations.

You would have to have attended the bond hearing to get the best idea of why the bond was set at that amount.