With a light roster of 36 arrestees and a courtroom full of reporters, legal observers, and advocates (as well a sprinkling of defendants’ loved ones), Cook County’s central bond court yesterday eased into its first day of operation under a new directive: By order of Chief Judge Timothy Evans, judges are to consider a defendant’s financial circumstances when setting bail. In addition to rolling out the new procedure, Evans also created a new division of judges to handle bond court proceedings.
And yet, some people were still receiving bonds they couldn’t afford—as much as ten times higher than the amount they said they could pay. Most defendants were either released on their own recognizance (or I-bond), or got house arrest (electronic monitoring). But eight defendants were given detainer bonds (aka D-bonds) ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, of which 10 percent would have to be paid in order of them to be released.
“Everyone is supposed to enjoy the presumption of innocence,” Grace says. “And the vast majority of people are supposed to be released. And if they’re not released the method of detaining them can’t be setting a high bond.”
