Imagine getting arrested in 2019, being held in jail without bail, and having your trial date in 2020 postponed indefinitely. Here we are in 2021, and you’re still awaiting a day in court.
With the justice system at a Covid-19 standstill, that’s a reality for too many Marylanders, but it’s an especially pernicious problem in Baltimore.
The city’s pretrial system creates unique injustices for incarcerated city defendants. As a city public defender of 17 years, I know.
One of the major problems is the city’s lack of free, “public” home detention for judges to order during bail review hearings. In other counties, it’s more available. The only alternative, private home detention costs money:
There’s a startup fee of about $100. Sometimes it’s waived for indigent clie
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