Since a recent Colorado Supreme Court decision, every first-degree murder suspect now has the opportunity to bond out of jail. That, after voters eliminated the state’s death penalty. The justices responded that OK, with no more capital punishment, nothing is a capital crime, so bond must be allowed. Most prosecutors are believed to agree with citizens, who say that’s wrong…
(Bond for Alleged Murderers wrap :52)
Judges are going along and issuing bond in those cases, but in very high amounts, hoping to keep suspected killers from getting out before trial… like a hundred million dollars for the Arapahoe County dentist accused of killing his wife. DA Heidi McCollum, whose district includes Summit and Clear Creek Counties, says the rest of the state may not need to worry, though. In her communities, bail’s been offered to suspected murderers only 3 times since 2014, and not sky-high, but in the half-million to 1 million dollar range…
230704 H McCollum— only 3 cases :13 Q:…remain in custody…
But despite those alleged killers not getting out, McCollum says she still believes bond should not have been allowed to them. And victims’ families say they agree with her. There’s said to be a bit of worry that some defense lawyers might try to challenge the super-high bonds, but that hasn’t happened yet.