This morning in Baltimore City bail reviews: no defendants will be participating today because, per Judge Dorsey, “they couldn’t find a way to safely socially distance.” Via video conference? Which they used yesterday?

The defendant in the first case is a child who may not even have a hearing for a transfer of jurisdiction (to juvenile) until September.

He has recently become a father, to a son born while he has been in jail. He hasn’t been able to hold him yet.

We could just cut and paste “the state is calling him a danger to the community” all day every day. His attorney is asking for release with services that would mitigate that risk, the state is opposing, the judge is holding him without bail.

Next case: defendant is a child. He has been in jail for almost a year and his case won’t be heard before September. While he has been in jail, his baby sister has been undergoing cancer treatment.

(Administrative note: we won’t be covering this whole hearing so this thread will be very short.)

The state is again making a point to mention that the events people are charged with “took place during COVID,” as if that fact reduces their ability to be afraid to die of it in jail.

Case currently being heard is a child with an extensive trauma history and asthma. And the state just mentioned again that the incident occurred “during COVID.”

State demanding HWOB, Judge Dorsey honoring that demand.