LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Lawmakers continued the push to make charitable bail illegal during a Louisville Bar Association panel on Monday night.
The recent case of 21-year-old Quintez Brown, who was released from jail Feb. 16 after the Louisville Community Bail Fund posted his $100,000 bond, has added fuel to the debate. Brown was indicted on the charges of criminal attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment after allegedly firing shots inside the campaign office of Craig Greenberg.
The family of a Butler High School cheerleader who died in a 2021 crash filed a lawsuit against The Bail Project, arguing that if that organization hadn't paid an offender's bail, he wouldn't have been out of jail to cause the crash.
The Bail Project paid $5,000 to post Michael Dewitt's bond on Feb. 24, 2021, according to the lawsuit and court documents. The fatal crash that killed the high schooler occurred days later.
House Bill 313 would ban charitable bail projects like the Louisville Bail Project or the Louisville Community Bail Fund from helping a person with bail if it is posted at more than $5,000. The bill also would prohibit any charitable bail organization from posting bail for any offense of domestic violence and abuse.
Rep. Jason Nemes, R-33, helped craft the bill. During the panel, he praised groups that help bail out non-violent offenders who can't afford it — but said a line needs to be drawn.
"You have one-hundred thousand dollar bail posted for the young man who took a number of shots at one of our candidates for mayor that certainly wasn't the catalyst, because we had hearings on it, and the bill was introduced long before that," Nemes said.
A representative for Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Kentucky said she went to the legislature this summer with a binder of suspects who had been bailed out by organizations after being arrested for violent crimes, including rape and domestic violence.
The bill, which passed 76 to 19, now heads to the Senate.
Related Stories:
- Grand jury indicts Quintez Brown in connection to shooting at Craig Greenberg's office
- Kentucky lawmakers change bill that would ban charitable bail
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