Bondsmen Sue County and Sheriff

TUNICA, MS – Hampton Company National Security LLC, James Hampton Gardner, and employee James Dean of Tunica, Mississippi have filed a suit against Tunica County and Tunica County Sheriff KC Hamp for violating Due Process and the Equal Protection Clauses of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed them to move forward with the federal suit. The suit stems from allegations that Hamp removed the bail company’s name from a list of approved bail bondsmen. The bondsmen allege that the removal which affected their business was motivated by racism and by the fact that the bondsmen had exposed corruption in the Sheriff’s Office. Hamp claims the company name was removed after three defendants bonded by the company failed to appear. He also alleges that the company name was removed from the list because the company failed to follow proper procedure in obtaining a receipt.

Bail Phone Scam

PANAMA CITY, FL – Someone is tarnishing bondsmen’s names over the phone. Scammers have been calling businesses in Panama City, Florida claiming to be bondsmen. The scammers allege that one of the business’s employees has been arrested and ask the company to send money for bond. The scammers then walk away with the money. The scammers are able to provide detailed information over the phone, leaving many businesses duped.

Armed Robbery Stopped By Quick Thinking Bondsman

LAS VEGAS, NV – Two armed men stormed into Goodfellas Bail Bonds early in the morning. Unfortunately for the duo, the man working the early hours was Dale Hazel, a bondsman and former police officer from Texas. Despite being unarmed and unprepared for the attack, Hazel was able to fight off the two men single-handedly. The two men fled from the premises and Hazel followed them. Eventually, a police officer noticed the commotion and helped Hazel. One of the two armed men, Devion Austin, was arrested nearby. Ironically, Austin had been bailed out of jail by Goodfellas Bail Bonds before and still owed the bail bond company money.

The Simpsons Take on the Bail Industry

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Anyone who watches the cartoon show The Simpsons knows that the zany Springfield family makes fun of everything. The 20th season premiere of the popular show took aim at the bounty hunting and bail industry. In the show, Homer is arrested for fighting and must post a $25,000 bail, forcing him to hook up with a bondsman named Lucky Jim. Homer then talks to a member of "Wolf" the Bounty Hunter’s team and decides to become a bounty hunter himself. He teams up with neighbor Ned Flanders to take on the bad guys, and hilarity ensues. It’s not the most flattering portrayal of the industry – there are no requirements for bounty hunters in Springfield and the bondsman Homer hires is decidedly sleazy – but good laughs for everyone abound.