Lawmakers propose more changes to Texas’ bail system

HOUSTON – After passing sweeping law remaining consultation, lawmakers are once more eyeing changes to Texas’ bail system.

During the remaining consultation, lawmakers handed sweeping law to tighten bail rules in instances involving violent crime.

In this consultation, lawmakers need to upload felons in ownership of a weapon to the record of crimes no longer eligible for private bonds.

“I said, ‘You know what, here is something no one is talking about,’” stated Houston Crimestoppers’ Andy Kahan. “This is a ticking time bomb.”

The discussions referring to changes to Texas’ bail system started months in the past all through a Senate Finance Committee period in-between listening to.

In addition to Kahan asking lawmakers to imagine this factor, Comal County District Attorney Jennifer Tharp additionally requested the committee to take into consideration including felon in ownership to the record of crimes no longer eligible for private bonds.

“Silly me thought that any judge worth their weight at all would never give a personal bond to a convicted felon who had a weapon,” stated State Sen. Joan Huffman/(R) Dist. 17 in reaction all through the July 2022 listening to.

Fast ahead to the present legislative consultation and Huffman, who’s the vice chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, filed Senate Bill 1318.

“It’s basically a disaster waiting to happen,” stated Huffman all through a contemporary interview with KPRC 2.

Huffman’s invoice would, amongst different issues, upload felon in possesssion of a weapon to the record of crimes no longer eligible for a private bond.

“Some of these seem obvious to me that a judge shouldn’t be giving a personal bond because, by definition, a convicted felon (and) they are in possession of a firearm,” stated Huffman.

Kahan first raised the problem after noticing a number of instances the place the ones charged with this crime had been launched on private bonds and later charged with committing more critical crimes.

Kahan pointed to the case of Quinnton Allen. Court information display Allen was once convicted of annoyed theft with a dangerous weapon in 2014 and sentenced to 9 years in jail. After being launched from jail in 2021, he was once charged with being a felon in ownership of a weapon. Allen was once launched on a private bond, in accordance to Harris County information, and 6 months later was once charged with homicide. Allen is lately watching for trial.

“How is this in the best interest of public safety?” Kahan stated. “Why are we knowingly putting people back who shouldn’t be carrying a firearm or having one in their possession right back to the community.”

More fresh issues come with the case of Donald Wayne Kelley, who was once concurrently on parole for a 1992 homicide and probation for his 2d DWI when he was once arrested for having a gun. Court information display Kelley was once firstly launched on a private bond.

However, court docket information display when Kelley made his first court docket look, Judge Katherine Thomas revoked his private bond and had Kelley taken into custody. Judge Thomas then set a $25,000 bond and ordered Kelley to be put on GPS monitoring if launched from prison. Court information display Kelley has no longer but made bond, and officers with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice stated a “blue warrant” has additionally been issued for Kelley on a movement to revoke parole.

KPRC 2 Investigates analyzed present felon in ownership of weapon instances in Harris County.

According to information from the District Clerk’s Office, there are 1,170 energetic FWP instances and 16.6% of the ones instances display a private bond was once granted.

Records from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office display felon in ownership of a weapon price has been filed 8,140 occasions since 2019.

Huffman’s invoice additionally requires changes in the best way magistrates, which set bail in lots of instances, are appointed in Harris County, and would give prosecutors the danger to attraction to the next judicial authority what they imagine to be too low of a bond.

There is opposition to Huffman’s invoice.

Nicholas Hudson with the ACLU testified all through a Mar. 7 listening to ahead of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee that he was once involved the invoice would exacerbate the issue of the ones with cash being ready to protected their unlock from prison prior to trial, whilst lower-income defendants are pressured to take a seat in prison.

“It would be wise for us to think about more comprehensive fixes to the system that don’t rely on wealth as a detention mechanism,” stated Hudson.

There could also be a priority about more long-term inmates being positioned within the Harris County Jail, which has observed a number of deaths and has been cited for no longer assembly minimal state requirements.

Jacilet Griffin-Lee’s son died in prison whilst watching for trial.

“People’s freedom should only be taken in very limited, specific circumstances, and be considered on an individual basis and not solely on the charge,” Griffin-Lee advised committee contributors all through the Mar. 7 listening to.

Huffman’s invoice handed within the Senate and is now headed to the State House of Representatives.