L.A County D.A's Office: District Attorney George Gascón Applauds California Supreme Court Ruling On Cash Bail

Press release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office:

March 25, 2021

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón issued a statement today regarding a state Supreme Court ruling in case S247278:

“Today’s California Supreme Court ruling ends an unjust practice that favors the wealthy and punishes those with limited means,” District Attorney Gascón said. “We cannot have equal protection under the law when fundamental aspects of our criminal justice system hinge so decisively on financial status.

The wealthy can be dangerous while the poor can pose no danger to our community. That is a reality that highlights just how broken and problematic wealth-based detention is for us all.

In anticipation of this decision, my office implemented policies on December 7th of last year that ensure the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is acting within the confines of the constitution.

Money bail takes more than liberty. Individuals can lose their jobs and, in some cases, their homes and their children, exacerbating homelessness and recidivism rates. This important ruling will enhance safety, equity and help us restabilize those communities that have been most impacted by our dated system of monetary bail.”

This press release was produced by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The views expressed here are the author’s own.