An 18 year old that was involved in riots in Baltimore faces a $500,000 bail. You may be asking yourself why it matters, it matters because his bail is more than the cops involved in the death of Freddie Gray Jr.
Allen Bullock has been charged with 8?misdemeanor charges, including smashing a police car with a traffic cone. Now you may be thinking that $500,000 is a warranted amount if it?included?fines, damages to property, court fees, and other associated costs,?but definitely not bail. It just shows we are trying to pilfer ever last cent.
What about the cops in the Freddie Gray Jr. death? The police officers that were charged Friday by Maryland State attorney ?for the death of Freddie Gray Jr. only?received bail amounts ranging from?$250,000?to $350,000. Apparently breaking a windshield warrants a larger bail then the?murder of a human in the Maryland Justice System.
This may highlight a larger problem in Baltimore. According to Thinkprogress, blacks in Baltimore are less likely to be employed, more likely to face predatory lending, and a shorter life expectancy. The city has even settled more than $5.7 million in wrongful death cases with Baltimore citizens since 2011.
In a report released last year by the?Sentencing Project the topic of bail inequality was highlighted when it was said that
?blacks and Latinos are more likely than whites to be denied bail or to be imposed a bond that they cannot afford?
and that they are more often considered
?flight risks because of their lower socioeconomic status, criminal records, and because of their race.”
It’s times like these that makes me?aware that there is a huge?rift in the justice system. I have advocated for?equality and justice?all my life but now it seems that the small tiny rips are becoming giant holes as we crossover into the gray areas. What I do know is that something needs to change.
