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THE EBONY FOUNDATION CALLS ON GOVERNORS AND STATE ATTORNEY
GENERALS TO RELEASE LOW-RISK INDIVIDUALS IN PRETRIAL
DETENTION BECAUSE OF MONEY BAIL AMID THE CORONAVIRUS
(March 23, 2020 - Atlanta, GA) The
EBONY Foundation along with Al Sharpton, HOME BY THE HOLIDAY
and The Bail Project call on Governors and state Attorney
Generals across the country to issue Executive Orders
immediately releasing low-risk individuals who are in
pretrial detention because of money bail. Letters went out
on Friday as reports show both prisoners and guards have
begun to test positive for COVID-19.
Public health experts admit that there is a heightened risk
of infection for people who are involved in the criminal
system and that downsizing the footprint of the criminal
system should be a part of the COVID-19 public health
response, both for the safety of jailed men and women and
for the broader community and for the staff and personnel
who work there.
70% of all people in US County jail today, by law, are
innocent. These people are sitting in jail because they can
not afford to pay the amount it would take to bond out.
These jails are dangerous amid the coronavirus outbreak due
to the lack of healthcare supplies, restraints on inmates,
and being stuck in close proximity with others. Handcuffed
people usually cannot protect their coughs or sneezes, sinks
often lack soap and hand sanitizer is considered contraband
due to its alcohol content.
“It is really against any form of logic to tell people
incarcerated in 6 X 12 cells to stay social distance six
feet away from each other. So how do we test them, and how
do we make sure that they are not, in fact, infecting
others. How do we deal with the fact that most people in
jail have been convicted of nothing, and therefore would be
dealing with possible life sentences if they get the
coronavirus while they’re awaiting trial, acquitted, go
home, and they have been infected, and the worst could
happen,” Al Sharpton.
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said, “At this time, BOP -- in
coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice -- can and
should request the release of low-risk individuals who are
in pretrial detention because of money bail.”
“People are in jail right now for small offenses like
driving while license is suspended, the law says innocent
until proven guilty imagine several hundred thousand
innocent people sit in jail cells awaiting court dates that
may never happen since courts are closed. They never get due
process to face their accuser and yet face catching a deadly
disease while being innocent. It’s unconstitutional” says
Ebony Spokesperson.
The first wave of letters went to Governors in California,
Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey
and Wisconsin.
The EBONY Foundation, the national nonprofit arm of EBONY
Capital Partners, LLC, has partnered with organizations such
as The Bail Project to launch HOME BY THE HOLIDAY, an
initiative designed to combat mass incarceration and reunite
families. Through this campaign, forces will be joined to
raise funds for bailouts and to drive awareness about the
urgent need for bail reform and the human impact of the cash
bail system on communities of color.
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