Keep Bailing

It seems that former American Idol contestant William Hung may have officially given up on his singing career. Reportedly, eight years after his memorable “She Bangs” audition, Hung has taken a job with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.  He is currently employed as a technical crime analyst, sources say, and is adapting comfortably to his new role.  Hung told the tabloid that the job is “pretty cool” and that he “enjoys what he does”.  Working at the department, he feels, has a lot of value.

Hung first gained fame during his off-key rendition of the hit Ricky Martin song during the 2004 auditions for American Idol.  Although he was quickly eliminated, his cult-like following grew rapidly.  He has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The George Lopez Show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Dateline NBC and also on Celebrity Deathmatch.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is Read more »

One for the Money charts Plum’s transition from sales clerk to bail recovery agent. The story begins with  Jersey-girl Plum (Heigel) finding herself broke and facing eviction. Desperate for money she turns to her bail-bondsman cousin to see if he needs an office assistant.  When she learns a position isn’t open, but that he is in need of someone who can help track down bail skips, Plum blackmails him into giving her the job.

Katherine Heigel has purchased the rights to Janet Evanovich novels in which the heroine, Stephanie Plum, decides to ditch her career in lingerie sales to begin working as a bounty hunter. The first film in the action-comedy series, One for the Money, opened Jan. 27.  The National Post has reported that Heigel may even be looking to turn Evanovich’s books into a franchise.

Plum’s first case involves tracking down her high-school boyfriend and she Read more »

Hollywood’s favorite “good girl” Selena Gomez is ditching her squeaky-clean image and heading to jail – or at least her character in the upcoming film Spring Breakers is.

The Disney Star will be partying, drinking, and getting crazy with her girlfriends, she told US  Weekly.  In one scene, the coeds even wind up robbing a restaurant as a means of funding the trip.   Although the edgy part is a far-cry from her off-screen persona, Gomez said she was up for the challenge and embraced the role. Viewers should keep in mind that movie-set jails are quite different from what celebrity female arrestees like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan experienced when they were booked into the Lynwood Jail, the Los Angeles County women’s jail.

As far as having concerns about her younger, tween-fans Read more »

Woody Harrelson has had his fair share of interesting roles throughout the years.  Now, though, he has taken on the role of an officer at the LAPD Rampart Station. In the upcoming movie Rampart Harrelson will play the corrupt, lawless police officer who muscles confessions out of bad-guys and in one scene, is caught on camera beating a perpetrator close to death.  That is where his problems begin.

According to The L.A. Times, in the film, the Los Angeles Police Department, which is trying to overcome failing public trust Read more »

Suspect Handcuffed To Stairs By Bail Bondsman

Perhaps filed under the category of “Why Choose A Bondsman Wisely” or “How Not Run a Bail Business” comes today’s Fun Friday in Bail story: A Missouri bail bondswoman decided to take matters into her own hands after police refused to accept an alleged fugitive suspect into custody. Instead of releasing him, the bondsman handcuffed him to the stairs in her home. She was later arrested and charged with false imprisonment for the her actions. Hmm… no kidding?

KY-3 TV has reported that Jean Marie Chartier brought Reynaldo Delarosa to a Webb City jail in an attempt to revoke his bond but was denied because she did not have a court order.  Instead of letting him go she apparently transported him to her home and handcuffed him to the banister of her staircase. Court documents indicate it was her intention to detain him until she was able to speak with a judge the following day. Reportedly the defendant was confined in her home for at least 24-hours and was released only after his friends co-signed a $7,500 bond. Interesting way to get clients to pay. I don’t think we’ll try it.

In the state of Missouri, like California, it is illegal for a bondsman and/or bail recovery agent to detain a person longer than it takes to get them to the jail. They are also prohibited from cuffing suspects unless they are being taken to a jail.

Chartier is currently Read more »

A lot has happened with the state’s numerous jails in the past 12 months.  Between celebrity arrests, jail over-crowding, budget cuts and prisoner realignment, state lawmakers and law enforcement officials have had their plates full. Now, with 2011 fast approaching its close, we thought we’d go back and highlight the top 10 jail headlines of the year.

#10 Santa Maria Jail And Gang Unit Faces Cuts

The Santa Maria jail and the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s gang unit received notification that they were in jeopardy of being shut down as a means of helping to bridge the county’s $72 million budget gap. Sheriff’s deputies did not take the proposal lightly, although they acknowledged the need for budget cuts.  Officials estimated that closing the jail could save $1.2 million annually.

#9 LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Opens

Although many were excited about the February opening of the $84 million downtown Los Angeles facility, others pointed to concerns that the jail would take 83 officers off the street to help operate it. Once opened, the Metro Center Jail replaced the antiquated, 50 year-old Parker Center Jail.

#8 Plea Deal And No Jail Time For Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson made a plea deal with prosecutors this year which meant he did not need to face jail time for his 2010 domestic violence charges. As part of the deal Gibson pled guilty to misdemeanor battery charges for an altercation involving his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva. He was, however, ordered to undergo counseling as part of that agreement.

#7 Merced Sheriff Proposes Closing Main Jail

In May of 2011, Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin suggested the closure of the main jail as a means of helping to close the county’s $20 million budget deficit.  He further proposed the early release of 150-200 inmates and the elimination of 20 correctional officers.  The closure, he said would trim $8 million from the sheriff’s $40 million budget.

#6  San Francisco County Jail Will No Longer Hold ICE Inmates

Starting June 1, the San Francisco County Jail implemented a policy which exempted it from detaining illegal immigrants who had been arrested for petty crimes. This was the first time in the history of California that this type of policy was enacted.  Law enforcement officials said that the county was not obligated to assist the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unless a felony crime had been committed.

#5 Costa Mesa Considers Outsourcing for Jail

Law enforcement officials in Costa Mesa joined others from throughout the state in searching for creative solutions to help bridge budget gaps. Part of that solution involved putting out a request for proposal (RFP) to seek a private firm take over jail operations. A bid from the firm G4S to run the Costa Mesa Jail came with an approximate annual cost of $614,000. Proponents of the plan pointed out that this was a marked reduction from the $1.3 million it cost to run the facility under the city’s police department.

#4 California Jails Ordered To Reduce Prison Population

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California needed to reduce its prisoner population by 30,000.  CA Gov. Jerry Brown then proposed “realigning” prisons as a means of compliance.  Instead of low-level, non-violent non-sexual offenders serving out their sentences in state facilities, Brown proposed they be transferred to county facilities instead. The realignment concept sparked concern from sheriff’s departments throughout the state, including the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

#3 Alleged Beating at Twin Towers Spawns Internal Investigation

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department found itself under the microscope for most of 2011 after allegations that two Sheriff’s Deputies beat a Twin Towers Jail inmate unconscious.  The Jan. 24 log of the incident said the “inmate was punching the deputies until they had no other choice but to tase him”.   The American Civil Liberties Union said that charges like this are not uncommon but are hard to prove because the inmate-witnesses to the alleged crimes are not considered to be credible.

#2 LA County Board Of Supervisors: Jails Need More Oversight

After months of internal investigations the LA County Board of Supervisors agreed with suggestions that county jails needed more oversight.  As of Oct. 20, two plans were being considered.  The first proposed the instillation of surveillance cameras, eliminating the use of heavy flashlights and steel-toed shoes, and the implementation of a ban that would prohibit deputies from striking inmates on the head.  Plan number two would establish an independent review commission that would look into complaints. The supervisors hoped this would help restore public confidence in the Los Angeles County Jail system.

#1 Read more »

Having to find a bail bondsman for the assistance of having to bail someone out of jail is not likely to be an every day occurrence for most people.  Some may find it very intimidating and confusing since it is something they have never had to do.  In addition, they do not know what is required of them, except many tend to think that they will automatically need collateral.  This is not always the case; in this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address bail bonds and collateral.

Fact or Fiction:  All Bail Bonds Require Collateral

Fiction: Although some bail bonds companies will require you post something of value (known collateral) to ensure the defendant will appear in court or for a payment plan, other bondsmen provide no collateral bail bonds, which clearly means collateral will not be required. Usually, the need for collateral is based on Read more »

You’ve recently bailed your brother out of jail – does that mean you’re completely done with your responsibilities?   Some people who sign a bail bond contract believe that just because they’ve provided their signature and the defendant has been released, that they no longer have future responsibility beyond making sure the bail bonds agency is paid.

In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address questions relating what it means to be an “indemnitor” for a California bail bond.

Fact or Fiction:  I’m listed as the bail bond indemnitor on my brother’s bond contract. The bail bonds agency was paid in full and he’s been released from jail.  There’s nothing else I need to do, right?

Fiction.  When you sign a contract with a California bail bonds company you assume responsibility beyond just making sure the agency is paid.

When a person is released on bail that does not mean their charge has gone away. Instead, it means they’re Read more »

Paying for Bail Bonds and Financing Options

It’s no great secret that the economic waters continue to be a little rough.   Right now many people are stretching their paychecks just to make ends meet.  This is something that’s hitting people from all across the board, from all walks of life, and from all income brackets and backgrounds.  Having money stashed aside in a “just in case I need to bail someone out of jail-fund” is likely not something you have.

In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address questions regarding California bail bonds payments and financing a bail bond.

Fact or Fiction: You Have To Pay For A Bail Bond Prior To Release From Jail

Fiction:  With many bondsmen, yes, you do need to pay the full bond amount (10% of the total bail) prior to the defendant being release from jail. However, there are California bail bonds companies that offer Read more »

Many people will live their entire lives without being arrested or without being called by a friend or family member who’s asking, “help get me out of jail!”  Bail bonds, to many; are a completely foreign language.  In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address the question as to whether the cost of working with a California bail bonds company can be negotiated.

Fact or Fiction:  You can negotiate with a bail bondsman in the same way you can haggle with a car dealer.

Fiction. Sorry folks, that misconception is just that – a misconception.  Bail bond premiums are set by on a state-by-state basis. In California, that agency is the Department of Insurance.  In the state of California, bail bonds companies charge 10% of a bond’s total premium to provide the service of getting someone out of jail.

Although discounts are granted on Read more »