SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A judge ordered that a robbery defendant be released from jail after nearly a year in a case that led to reform of California’s bail system because the man could not afford $350,000 bail.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that 64-year-old Kenneth Humphrey was also ordered Thursday to register for ankle monitoring as he awaits trial on charges he stole $5 and a bottle of cologne from a 79-year-old neighbor.
An appeals court judge in January found that Humphrey’s bail was excessive and unfair because he could not afford it.
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California Attorney General Xavier Becerra opted not to appeal, saying that judges must consider suspects’ ability to pay when setting bail and that courts should only hold suspects who are dangerous or likely to flee.
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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com
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