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Courts failing to penalize bond violators
FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace has more in this edition of "Breaking Bond."
HOUSTON - Some defense attorneys call it catch and release. Judges will order defendants back to court for bond violations then grant them a new bond. and they're right back out.
"Back in the day, it just took one bond violation for you to get arrested, your bond revoked, and then bond raised," said defense attorney Emily Detoto. "But this is a different era that we're in."
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Take 35-year-old Michael Perez for example. He just completed a five-year prison sentence last March.
"Two months after he completed his sentence, he's right back in the crime business," said Andy Kahan with Crime stoppers.
Last May, Perez gets a PR bond, or get out of jail free card, for evading arrest and drug possession.
In the three months that follow, he violates his curfew and tests positive for drugs.
"You've got five illegal narcotic substances in his system," said Kahan.
The drug tests and monitoring devices prove Perez was doing drugs and violating his curfew.
The 230th revoked Perez's PR bond, but then grants him a $5,000 bond.
"So for $500, he's back out again," Kahan said.
Last week, Perez made headlines as one of three defendants accused of shooting an HPD officer who's lucky to be alive.
"He was out on the streets committing robberies, and ends up involved shooting our police officer, and that really pisses me off," said Doug Griffith, President of the Houston Police Officers Union.
Back in March, we told you about 28-year-old Javian Major.
While allegedly posing as a funeral director, officers say they found Major had stolen insurance funds charged for funerals and embalmings that didn't happen and mishandled bodies.
"Seven times he doesn't show up in court and immediately doesn't show up again," Kahan said. "Instead of revoking his bond, they say go sin no more."
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On Monday, Major was back in the 262nd Court accused of once again violating his bond conditions by working in the funeral industry. He's given another bond for $20,000.
"A lot of the defense attorneys I work with are astounded that some of the judges are letting people out on their third, fourth, fifth bond violation," Detoto said.
"At some point, we have to hold people accountable," said Griffith. "And If we continue to let them victimize this county, nobody will be safe."