The Professional Bondsmen of Texas- Blog

  The Wisconsin Assembly was scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposal amending the state constitution to make it harder for violent criminal defendants to get out on bail, hoping to capitalize on anger over the killing of six people by a driver who authorities say plowed into a Christmas parade near Milwaukee. The man charged in that case, Darrell Brooks Jr., had posted $1,000 bail on an earlier case two days before the Nov. 21 parade in downtown Waukesha. He pleaded not guilty on Friday to 77 charges, including six counts of homicide. He remains jailed on a $5 million bail. Supporters of the constitutional amendment, who have been trying since 2017 to get it passed, say their effort is not in reaction to the parade deaths. But that has given the amendment momentum it's not seen before. The amendment has been narrowed from how it was originally proposed this session to apply only to people convicted of a violent crime as defined by the Legislature. The measure must pass the Republic...

  A Milwaukee man was out on bail for a domestic violence charge when he allegedly killed the victim, his ex-girlfriend, in 2021 – and that bail was set at just $250. Wisconsin's cash bail system is not designed to protect the public; it is only intended to make sure that the person in question shows up for their next court appearance. As public leaders debate reforming that system, the Milwaukee homicide case serves as an example. "Many of us have been talking about this bail statute for 20 years now. Someday, maybe the legislature will act," Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn Yamahiro said. Dennis Kurasz is charged with first-degree intentional homicide – accused of killing his ex-girlfriend while out on $250 bail for a domestic violence case involving the same woman. "She was moving out. And in this case, the defendant beat her to death," said Grant Huebner, Milwaukee County assistant district attorney. The allegations in the criminal complaint agains...

  Darrell E. Brooks had been out of jail for just five days when he allegedly plowed a red Ford Escape into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin in November, killing six people and injuring dozens more. A series of mix-ups led Brooks, 39, to be released from jail on Nov. 16 on an unusually low cash bail after a case in which he allegedly used the same SUV to run over a woman after battering her. As a prosecutor prepared to recommend bail, she lacked access to the results of Brooks’ risk assessment — a tool to help determine his likelihood of reoffending or failing to appear for his next court date. That information was not uploaded into a case management system, according to Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, whose office has faced a torrent of criticism for its handling of the domestic violence case.   The assessment identified Brooks as high risk and listed previous felony convictions and charges in cases involving violence, alongside a "serious pers...

  Two Wisconsin Republicans unveiled legislation that would set minimum bail amounts for criminals who have already been convicted of a felony or violent misdemeanor on Wednesday. State Senator Julian Bradley (R-Franklin) and State Representative Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego) said the bill package is being released following the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy. This also follows criticism after Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm's office recommended $1,000 bail for Darrell Brooks before he allegedly drove his vehicle through the Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring more. "Community safety has to be a factor as our state considers the flight risk of criminals," Senator Bradley said. "Wisconsin lives are in danger because of the low bail that soft-on-crime judges and DAs are currently setting. This revolving door for criminals must end. We must bring accountability and transparency to the court  system to ensure serial criminals don't cont...