Bail News Roundup - February 12, 2007
The AboutBail.com staff can’t be accused of not keeping up with the news. The office water cooler sees plenty of current events discussions. This week, these are the stories that had our interest:
Texas Bail Bondsmen Down, Not Out
On February 7, 2007, newspapers were reporting that a computer glitch, of all things, practically shut down close to 50% of bail bonding companies in Hidalgo County, Texas. The glitch permitted bondsmen to bail out even those people for whom financial backing was unavailable. The glitch apparently stems from what experts are calling a programming error – a mistake that allows companies to seriously overextend themselves financially. Some are pointing to the lack of routine maintenance on the sheriff’s department’s computer system as the cause of the problem.
Kansas Bail Bondsman Runs for City Commission
On February 7, 2007, newspapers reported that bail bondsman Sam Fields would be running for one of three seats available on the Lawrence City Commission. Fields hopes to build an ambitious new public library on the banks of the Kansas River. As owner of two of the city’s bail bond companies -- Applejack’s and AJ’s bail bonds – Fields believes that his time in the bail business makes him an ideal candidate for political office, since he knows how to judge character and deal with tough guys.
Cleaning Up After Hurricane Katrina
Newspapers across the country were reporting this past week on a Katrina clean up problem that did not make the news in the weeks and months after the hurricane hit. The deadly storm created confusion that allowed many suspects to jump bail. Now, finding those fugitives is proving difficult for New Orleans bondsmen. They report that traditional family and friend connections where fugitives turned to after fleeing have all but disappeared in post-Katrina New Orleans. With many people living outside the city still, many bonding companies are struggling to find new clients. Most are also heavily in debt. So many suspects fled Louisiana during the storm that many of the state’s bonding businesses faced bankruptcy, compelling the state to pass a law allowing judges to forgive bond company debts and grant extra time to find clients who have skipped town.
Astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak Turns to Famous Bail Bondsman After Being Arrested for Attempted Murder
Like the rest of the country, we couldn’t read enough about the unusual Lisa Marie Nowak story. The NASA space shuttle astronaut was arrested on allegations that she was attempting to kidnap and potentially harm a woman she saw as a romantic rival for the affections of a fellow NASA space program professional. Nowak has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted burglary of a vehicle, attempted kidnapping, battery, and destruction of evidence. Nowak was freed last Tuesday on $25,500 bond. What is interesting to us is that famous Orlando bail bondsman John "The Baron" Von Achen is the one who posted Nowak’s bail. Von Achen has been in the business for 25 years and called Nowak a “good risk.” Nowak visited the bail bondsman immediately after her release and spent a few hours being fitted with a GPS tracking device.
Angelina County's Bail Bonds board Gets in Gear
In Texas, Angelina County has finally gotten a bail bonds board to regulate the local industry that until recently has had few rules. Before a board was contemplated, the sheriff’s office determined who could issue bonds in the area. As well, there weren’t any established limits on the amount of bonds that could be issued. The new board, consisting of judges, attorneys, and county officials is set to enforce state laws concerning bail bonds and is ready to review more closely which bail bond companies in the region are legitimate.
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