Editor's Note: The Bail News Round-up consists of news items that occurred over the previous week and upcoming industry events. If you have items you would like to contribute, please call us at (866) 411-2245 or click here.

Another summer week has gone by and another week of exciting news stories has caught our eye. The AboutBail.com staff has been busy reading about all the bail news that affects bail professionals, and these are the stories that grabbed us this week:

US Killers Sought By Bounty Hunters in Cuba
NEW JERSEY - Assata Shakur, also known as Joanne Chesimard, has been hiding in Cuba for the past two decades, but now it appears that some determined bounty hunters are setting their sights on her and on some 60 other American fugitives in Cuba. Now that Cuban leader Fidel Castro seems to be ill, the asylum he has granted to US fugitives over the past four decades seems precarious. Shakur, a former member of the Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army (BLA) was found guilty of killing a state trooper and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1973. She fled to Cuba after a raid on her jai. There is a one million dollar bounty on her, dating back to 2005. (The Sunday Times, May 27, 2007)

Attorney Defends a Different Kind of Immigrant
TEXAS - Dicky Grigg is an Austin personal-injury lawyer currently volunteering his time. He is representing, free of charge, the suspected terrorists being held at the now-famous Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. He is part of the group known as the "Guantanamo Bar Association," which is a group of attorneys who have agreed to represent the detainees in the Cuban Naval Station. Grigg argues that most detainees have the right to representation - representation that many of them cannot afford. Grigg is concerned that many of the detainees were captured by bounty hunters for money, but have not yet been charged with any crimes. (The Star-Telegram, May 24, 2007)

Japan Starts Offering Rewards for Crime Tips
JAPAN - This month, the government of Japan will start using government money to create rewards for crime tips offered by the public. An award of up to $3 million will be awarded for information that helps solve a crime. It is the first time that public funds have been used by a government agency for such a cause. Already, the program seems to be successful. After the National Police Agency announced cash prized in five homicide cases, authorities received 92 leads. (The Asahi Shimbun, May 24, 2007)

Bounty Hunter Trial to Go Ahead
KANSAS - Justin Thurber had a preliminary hearing and it was found that there is probable cause on the charges of capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, rape and aggravated criminal sodomy that are held against him. The charges stem from the death of Jodi Sanderholm. Thurber has been bound over for trial. At the time of Jodi Sanderholm's death, Thurber was working as a bounty hunter. (Eyewitness News 12, May 31, 2007)

Iberia Parish Councilman Asks For Help in Dealing with Illegal Immigrants
LOUISIANA - District 5 Councilman for Iberia Parish, Raymond Lewis has asked the Investigative Division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Lafayette for assistance. Lewis wants help cracking down on the illegal immigrants living and working in Iberia Parish. Lewis has stated that he feels that the number of car accidents, criminal cases, and other accidents are on the rise, and he feels this is attributed to the illegal immigrants in the area. Lewis is asking for random checks of workers to see whether there are many illegal aliens in the area. (The Daily Iberian, May 30, 2007)

Guyana National Assembly Passes No-Bail Bill for Some Gun Crimes
GUYANA - The Guyana media is reporting that the country's National Assembly has passed the Firearms (Amendment) Bill. Although the bill caused some concern, the opposition supported the passing of the bill. Before the new bill, penalties for buying and possessing firearms could be as low as $3,000. Under the new law, penalties of at least $50,000 and at least two years in prison could be applied in some firearms offences. More controversially, the bill also allows the country to deny bail for some felons charged with weapons offences. (Stabroek News, May 31, 2007)

California Bail Agents Association
2007 Pre-licensing Registration June 2-3, 2007 Sacramento, CA click here for details		2007 Renewal License Education June 3, 2007 Sacramento, CA click here for details
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Surviving an Agency Audit June 4-5, 2007 Miami, FL		Securing & Converting Collateral June 4-5, 2007 Miami, FL
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MBAA Summer Meeting
July 6-7, 2007 Biloxi, MS
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June 11-12, 2007 McKimmon Center Raleigh, NC		July 9-10, 2007 McKimmon Center Raleigh, NC
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