Currently, Los Angeles County is attempting to empty its jails. They're not alone. Orange County is doing the same, as are Riverside County and San Bernardino County. Of the 38 courthouses, 38 have coordinated with judges and prosecutors, and they have a list of criminal defendants who are in custody and are eligible to be released on their recognizance or have their bail lowered. I'm trying to make arguments in all my cases where people are in custody.
Defendants with Serious Criminal Cases Remain in Custody
The main individuals being held in custody right now are those charged with very serious crimes. For example, three-strikes cases, murder cases — cases where there's a million-dollar bail and the person is a legitimate threat to the public.
Those are the cases that are hard to get out of custody. However, I would say that now is a good time to try to resolve a criminal case where you would normally be looking at prison time.
Whether the defendant is in custody and you're a family member trying to help them hire an attorney, or perhaps you're someone seeking an attorney who knows that your crime is a serious one and you may face jail or prison time.
Because they're so worried about the fact that if someone in custody gets this coronavirus, it will spread like wildfire through the Los Angeles County jail system, and it wouldn't just affect the inmates; now you have to let a lot of people go, and it would put people in hospitals.
It would create a complete disaster for the LA County jail system, but it would also affect the people who work inside the jails, including deputies, sheriffs, and staff members.
Then nobody would be able to go to the jails to visit their clients, like the attorneys, because of the threat that they would contract the COVID-19 virus. So, that's a real consideration right now for everybody in Los Angeles County, and the sheriffs, LAPD, prosecutors, the District Attorneys, the City Attorneys, and the judges are all working to try to get people out of jail.
Negotiation with Prosecutor to Avoid Jail Time
One thing to note, though, is that you won't be helped much with plea bargaining if you're facing jail or prison time, especially if you're in a situation where you're likely to get a deal but will remain in custody.
So, you'd have to be in a situation where you're not going to get any custody time, because if you're going to get custody anyway, then it really doesn't make a difference for the prosecutors as far as giving a better resolution on your behalf.
So, if you're in a situation where you're fearful of going to jail — not only because it's dangerous to go to jail — but also because you don't want to be locked in a location where the Covid-19 virus could spread like wild fire like Los Angeles county jail, Wayside, Twin Towers or even for female custody, the Lynwood Regional Center.
No Reported Cases of Coronavirus in Los Angeles County Jails
If the virus gets in, all of these locations are going to cause a lot of havoc. Currently, as I post this information at the end of March 2020, there are no known Covid-19 cases.
However, there are a number of people currently quarantined in Los Angeles County, and those individuals could end up contracting the virus. If that were to happen, it would obviously be a significant problem, as they likely came into contact with a number of other individuals.
Unless people are away in Los Angeles jail or segregated from other inmates, if they've got a bunch of inmates in a cell and one of those inmates has that virus, obviously that's going to spread to other inmates very easily, and even the sheriff's deputies inside the Los Angeles County jail.
So, if you need an attorney who can really work hard to keep you out of jail or out of prison, pick up the phone. Please make the call now, and I will do everything possible to assist you.
Hedding Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm located in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, at 16000 Ventura Blvd, #1208, Encino, CA 91436. We are also located at 633 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071. Contact us for a free case evaluation at (213) 542-0979.
Related:
