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Law

Prosecutors won’t support bail reform package

Lawmakers are scheduled to take testimony Wednesday on a proposal to overhaul the state’s bail system. But now two key constituencies have yanked their support.

County prosecutors and an organization representing frontline police officers say they will oppose the measure because it doesn’t require defendants put down a minimum amount before bailing out of jail.

Washington’s bail bonds system came under scrutiny after the murders of four Lakewood police officers in 2009. Gunman Maurice Clemmons had bailed out of jail after posting a fraction of his nearly $200,000 bond. After that tragedy, Governor Chris Gregoire convened a bail reform taskforce.

Several unanimous recommendations emerged. But there’s been one sticking point all along: whether to require that bail companies collect at least five percent of the bond. Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist calls it “truth in bail.”

“The judge should know and the crime victims should know what a $190,000 in bail actually means, how much collateral does that require, how much down does that require?” asks Linddquist.

Opponents counter that a minimum down requirement would keep poor defendants locked in jail. Sponsors intend to move ahead with their bail overhaul, but without enough votes in the legislature they’ve dropped the five percent rule.

Copyright 2012 Northwest News Network

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.