Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-02-21 | Page 13 | Professional Bondsmen to be Eliminated

PROFESSIONAL BONDSMEN TO TOBE TOBE TOBE BE ELIMINATED S Safety a f e ty Department Heads Discuss I Bail Setup The Thc professional bondsman is on tho the w way wy y out in Salt Lake cn City if plans of ot public safety department officials bear fruit City Judge A. A H H. Ellett and J S. S Earley coordinator for tor the public public pub pub- lic lie safety department Friday re revealed revealed revealed re- re that a conference would be beheld beheld beheld held next week to study means of ot allowing s substantial u b s a t tan a n t i a I citizens charged with ordinary misdemeanors misdemeanors misdemeanors to obtain immediate freedom freedom freedom free free- dom without resorting to tho professional pro pro professional bondsman Attending the meeting besides Judge Ellett and Mr Earley will be Mayor E. E B. B Erwin Chief of Police Harry L. L Finch and Acting Chi Chief f O. O B. B Rec Rec- ord I Issues Orders Order Mr Earley said he would issue orders to desk sergeants who have authority to act as bail commissioners commissioners commis commis- to allow arrested p persons to telephone for succor as soon as they reach the police station Often Otten those arrested have not been allowed to use a telephone until reaching the city jail by which time a professional professional professional bondsman would be on hand offering his wares Mr Earley defined a substantial citizen as one owning property or whose responsible place in the community community com corn was established Those not immediately recognizable as such are to be allowed to call upon a bonafide bona bonafide bonafide fide substantial citizen for assistance assistance assistance assist assist- ance he said Judge Ellett said I am opposed to the favored few writing bail ball bonds bands Each person writing a bond should be accepted or rejected according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to his qualifications and the authority of the thc bail commissioners is ample to judge these S Has Ball Bali Bond Cost cost has frequently been somewhat of an additional penalty for those running afoul of or the law If acquitted aside from the inconvenience inconvenience incon incon- inconvenience of ot arrest the accused is still liable for the cost of the bond which runs from 2 per cent of the amount of the bond and upward upward- usually upward On a charge of hit hit- run driving th Dondis drunken drunk drunk- en driving reckless driving 25 to speeding 5 5 to 25 Mr Earley made it clear that there is no objection to a person employing a professional bondsman if he desires The officials are only striving to eliminate what at times they believe amounts to an inequitable table situation where an arrested person is made to feel he ho must do business with a chosen bondsman