Thread: Today's story is heartbreaking, but it's important. Police arrested a woman who was homeless because a cop said she hit him with an umbrella. What happened next is the everyday violence of our court system. (1)
Based on the cop's allegations, the court in Houston had a bail hearing after the arrest. But the judge, DA, and Sheriff didn't bother bringing the woman to her own bail hearing. In her absence, the judge required a cash bond for her release, even though she had no money. (2)
Then she sat in jail. One month, two months, three months, five months her case was continued. Then her case was forgotten for nine more months while she languished in jail. Then, 455 days after the cop arrested her, she was brought to court to decide whether to plead guilty. (3)
Like thousands of others, she had a choice: plead guilty to what the cop said happened, or stay in jail because she couldn't pay cash. She took the plea and got out of jail right away. The judge sentenced her to a year in jail, but she had already served 15 months. (4) 
You can listen to many stories like this here in this amazing archive: (5)
https://twitter.com/TxJailProject/status/1390015879698599939
The woman without any money and without a place to live was charged $270 in "court costs" and a $15 "reimbursement fee." Case closed. The assembly line churns, and the same thing will now happen to someone else. (End)
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