Teen who shot HPD officer was out on bond: Records

[MechAg94]

https://abc13.com/teen-who-shot-hpd-officer-was-out-on-bond-records/5536540/

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/teen-accused-of-shooting-hpd-officer-during-crime-spree-was-out-on-bond

This is a story I heard about yesterday.  A local crook on a crime spree ended up shooting a police officer (who so far survives).  It came out that he was out on bond for carjacking and had already violated the terms of the bond with no consequences.  I heard some of the audio of the Houston police chief mouthing off about judges not holding criminals accountable. 

I think this is a continuing problem in this country.  Dangerous, repeat felons being recycled through the system despite long criminal histories.  It only encourages other aspiring criminals to do the same and really erodes any remaining confidence in the criminal justice system. 

[RoadKingLarry]

Anyone that has any confidence in our criminal justice system isn't paying attention.

[griz]

It's the gun's fault.

[T.O.M.]

Let's put the fault where it belongs.  Yes, the judge who did the release may have made a bad call, but there is a push nationwide by politicians to change the bail/bond system.  Long story as short as possible, there are laws being passed around the country to eliminate monetary bond.  Either the person is held or released.  And, these lovely legislators are also passing laws which limit the situations in which a court can hold a person in jail pretrial.  Here are a couple of articles on the movement:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/nyregion/how-does-bail-work-and-why-do-people-want-to-get-rid-of-it.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/28/us/bail-california-bill/index.html
https://www.gq.com/story/abolish-cash-bail

Now, I'll tell you anecdotally that a lot of judges don't like this movement.  Don't like the idea of letting someone accused of a serious violent crime walk out the door.  Don't like being told when they are allowed to hold someone, and let them go home.  Don't like the thought of a repeat offender accused of another offense being released.  But, hey, thanks legislators.  You passed more "feel good" legislation so that hundreds of thousands of people aren't held in jail without having been found guilty.   

[MechAg94]

That seems strange.  Politicians have never been known to micromanage things.   

[Hawkmoon]

That seems strange.  Politicians have never been known to micromanage things.   

Micromanaging is sooooo 20th century. They've progressed to nanomanagement in the 21st century.