A California man was arrested for breaking into a home after being arrested two other times that same day and being let free on no bail.
James Langdon, who is believed to be homeless, was arrested for the first time at 3AM on February 13 after jaywalking and then fleeing from police, The Daily Mail reported.
Hours after that arrest, and subsequent release via the state’s controversial zero-dollar bail policy, he was caught trespassing at a business with a screwdriver in his hand. He was detained for three hours but, again, set free.
Finally, that evening he was arrested again, this time for attempting to break into an apartment. After arrest number three he was held on $150,000 bail.
In the first incident, cops had attempted to stop the 47-year-old to cite him for jaywalking, however, Langdon took off on foot leading to a brief pursuit by police before he was cuffed by cops, according to FOX 11 in Los Angeles.
Langdon was charged with alleged obstruction before being taken to a nearby hospital after he requested medical attention.
Langdon was collared for a third time for felony vandalism around 7 pm Sunday evening, when he was caught breaking in to an area apartment.
Officers found him in the hallway outside of an apartment that had its door left open and items misplaced and moved around inside, having caused upwards of $6,000 in damage to the property, according to police.
On January 27, The Bail Project, who championed California’s zero-dollar bail policy, celebrated the passing of the law.
“As California struggles to contain COVID-19, this critical bill would help mitigate the crisis by preventing tens of thousands of people from cycling unnecessarily through overcrowded jails just because they cannot afford bail,” the group said.
“COVID-19 cases have exploded in California’s correctional facilities, creating raging hotspots that put entire communities at risk – particularly Black and Latino – and add even more pressure to an already overwhelmed hospital system. California has taken some emergency measures to reduce the incarcerated population, but much more is needed. Stopping the influx of people who cannot afford bail into county jails is a critical strategy that must be incorporated,” it said.
“Following last year’s $0 bail rule, a review of data from several of California’s Bay Area counties demonstrated low rates of recidivism, contrary to claims by law enforcement. It is also clear from The Bail Project’s work in Los Angeles County and across the nation that cash bail is not necessary to ensure high rates of return to court. Using court notifications, transportation assistance, and voluntary referrals to social services, we have supported nearly 15,000 people nationally in returning to court for the vast majority of their court dates, even though they had no financial obligation to do so,” the group argued.
“There remains an important discussion to be had about the future of pretrial reform in California and the controversial use of pretrial algorithms to decide who is sent to jail before trial. In the interim, this bill is a practical and positive step toward eliminating cash bail and reducing reliance on the bail bond industry, and we strongly urge its passage,” it said.
