Article

2003-09-10 Home Front

Bail bondsman gets wrong guy; charged with kidnapping

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Dar 2003-09-10 2:07:26 PM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Regulations for bondsmen differ between states. The idea is that went a perp bonds out, he/she signs a contract allowing the bondsman to invade his/her place of residence should the perp skip. The bondsman then puts up the bond for the accused's release. If the perp slips the bond is forfeit unless, the accused surrenders or is turned in within a specified number of days (90 for example.) The bondsman either tries to apprehend the skip his/herself or farms out the work to a bounty hunter. Some states require that the bounty hunter be licenced; other states go with the old west shootem-up option.

The system saves the state a large amount of cash as incarceration is a pricey proposition. I learned this from watching a one hour show on the Discovery Channel that featured Duane "Dog" Chapman before his 15 minutes of fame began.

Posted by Super Hose 2003-9-10 2:40:59 PM|| 2003-9-10 2:40:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 The article made it sound like the bail bondsman himself tried to do the job, except that the word "agent" appears, which could mean an intermediary was used. A lot of times a bounty hunter is the one tasked with bringing in bail-jumpers.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2003-9-10 2:45:11 PM|| 2003-9-10 2:45:11 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 "They thought it was a kidnapping that took place in the parking lot"

They were right.

Posted by mojo 2003-9-10 3:21:59 PM|| 2003-9-10 3:21:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 The bondsman can try to recover the skip themselves and save on the bounty. Usually the bondsman or bouty hunter will explain to the police what is going on before trying to apprehend the skip. The system apparently works well in some states and horribly in others.

Posted by Super Hose 2003-9-10 4:44:58 PM|| 2003-9-10 4:44:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 They catch tens of thousands of skips every year. How many of these stories have you read? As SH correctly points out, they usually coordinate with the police... this guy thought he had identified a skip and took the shot because he figured (in a drive thru, I guess) that he'd otherwise get away. Again, SH is spot on: this works a whole lot better than the rare as hell sensational press story indicates. I've done some time as a repo man and called in the bounty hunters more than once - felons who've jumped bail think little of not making car payments - doh! What amazed me was that anyone would give em' a car loan!!?!?!

Posted by .com (a.k.a. Abu This!) 2003-9-10 9:38:19 PM|| 2003-9-10 9:38:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Thank you, gentlemen! I appreciate hearing from those more "in the know" than I am. If they catch tens of thousands of skips with active warrants every year, then there's bound to be a small percentage of "whoops!" as well.

I'd just like to be sure the system is not being abused. God knows if I am carrying and some guy tries to abduct me with a shotgun, I would look for every opportunity to blow his head off and escape--honest mistake or no. Let the cops sort it out.

Posted by Dar 2003-9-10 10:29:42 PM|| [http://users.stargate.net/~dsteckel/] 2003-9-10 10:29:42 PM|| Front Page Top

19:12 new visitor
13:02 Bulldog
12:34 Aris Katsaris
07:02 Bulldog
07:01 Bulldog
06:59 Bulldog
05:16 Bulldog
05:09 Bulldog
02:47 R. McLeod
02:39 R. McLeod
02:05 Anonymous
01:10 Tony (UK)
00:48 Anonymous
00:33 Rafael
00:22 Bomb-a-rama
00:18 True German Ally
00:13 True German Ally
00:02 tu3031
23:59 Not Mike Moore
23:56 tu3031
23:38 Rafael
23:34 True German Ally
23:32 Aris Katsaris
23:28 VAMark