Today in Baltimore City bail reviews: Judge Sampson is presiding. One of the defense attorneys asks if a Spanish interpreter is available. Judge Sampson says no and that the matter will have to be postponed for “a couple of weeks.”

CASE 1: the judge asked to call the case first for the man who needs an interpreter. Case is postponed for 2 weeks. To be clear, he will be in jail during that time.

CASE 2: a man who is being released on recog by agreement of the parties

Back to CASE 1: the man’s family has told the defense atty that he speaks English well enough to participate without an interpreter, so it is being called after all.

At his district court bail review, there was an issue with the address where he would stay if released. He has now arranged to stay somewhere else. The complaining witness has also provided an affidavit in support of his release. Pretrial recommends release.

The ASA recites allegations as facts. State is seeking HWOB. Judge Sampson orders private home detention/monitoring.

CASE 3: a young woman who is pregnant and has serious health issues that put her pregnancy at risk. Prior to her arrest, she was scheduled for necessary surgery to address a complication, which Central Booking has decided to postpone. She has now contracted COVID in jail.

There are both witness ID and complaining witness credibility issues in the case. There is no independent evidence that she was involved in the incident, and she denies involvement.

Defense atty notes that Central Booking’s decision not to let her have the surgery was contrary to the advice of the dr who had been treating her outside.

Pretrial recommends HWOB. The ASA recites allegations as facts. State is seeking HWOB. Judge Sampson orders HWOB.

CASE 4: a young man with a small child at home and a baby on the way. He has asthma. He hasn’t been indicted yet, so it will be many months before the case is resolved. Pretrial recommends home detention.

The ASA recites as fact the tales of cops about what they claim to have observed to justify a pursuit. This is a drugs-only case from our state’s attorney who continues to pretend for the national press that she is ending the drug war. State is seeking HWOB.

Defense atty points out that the cops didn’t recover the bag they claim contained drugs on his person at all, and that he’ll be lucky if this case is resolved by this time next year. Judge Sampson orders HWOB.

This kid is going to do over a year pretrial for being near a backpack that had drugs in it.

CASE 5: a man who had an earlier bail review. At that hearing, the ASA brought up charges from another jurisdiction to support a claim he should be held. That case has now been dismissed. He has young children at home, including a baby who was born the day of his last review.

He has serious health problems and requires medical treatment. Pretrial recommends home detention. The ASA recites BPD’s tale as fact. State is seeking HWOB. Judge Sampson orders private home detention/monitoring, denies request for work exception.

CASE 6: already resolved by another judge, coming off the docket

CASE 7: parties have already agreed to ROR with pretrial supervision, Judge Sampson orders same

CASE 8: a young man with small children at home and a baby on the way. He is seeking to be released on home detention. Pretrial recommends home detention.