THREAD: Today's story is about a man who was jailed in Houston because he couldn't pay $100 cash. What happened next is horrifying: the system lost him. What he endured is important, and people should know about it. (1)

The man was arrested for allegedly writing two bad checks. When the court held his bail hearing the next day, jail guards couldn't find him. So the prosecutor and judge just did his bail hearing without him! The judge said he could be released, but only if he paid $100. (2)

Then he was forgotten. A week passed, then 4, then 8. About 2.5 months later, he sent a desperate handwritten note to the judge. He begged to finally come to court b/c COVID was killing people in the jail: "So my hope is to be seen one less person out the way. God Bless." (3)

105 days later, he was brought to court. Records show his lawyer hadn't called, visited, or done any work. He had to choose: plead guilty and get out or fight his case and go back to jail b/c he couldn't pay $100. He pleaded guilty. That plea was the only work his lawyer did. (4)

Even though the law provides a lawyer for people who are poor, that system is a disaster in TX, which relies mostly on private lawyers chosen by judges to whom they can make campaign donations. (5) https://www.texastribune.org/2019/08/19/unchecked-power-texas-judges-indigent-defense/

The judge jailed him for $100 even though he was presumed innocent because an emergency pandemic rule by the TX Governor barred his release without paying cash b/c of an old misdemeanor. The TX legislature is trying to make this rule blocking release of the poor permanent. (6)

Keeping a human being in a jail cell solely because they cannot make a cash payment is unconstitutional. It's also expensive, and it separates families, destroys jobs, interrupts medical care, and leads to more arrests in the future. All people of good will must fight it. (7)

We are proud @CivRightsCorps to sue judges, prosecutors, and sheriffs, across the U.S. to end these illegal practices. We are inspired by the launch of a first-of-its kind archive of jail calls and letters so you can see and hear from people inside. (8) https://twitter.com/TxJailProject/status/1390015879698599939

Here is an example of the urgent and heartbreaking audio and letter archive put together in partnership with @TxJailProject and http://zealo.us . (end) https://twitter.com/ScottHech/status/1390290114341912577