Story Archive

What Price Freedom?

Aitabdel Salem, 41, was held on $25,000 bail, accused of assaulting a police officer. Then he was charged with two other offenses and, as judges sometimes do when they think enough bail has been set for a person already, held on $1 bail in each of those cases. But while he was sitting on New York City’s Riker’s Island on $25,002 in total bail, prosecutors found themselves unable to get a grand jury to indict him on the charge with the $25,000 bail. An order for his release reduced his bail to $2 — but Salem says his former attorney failed to tell him that he could get out for petty cash, and he sat in jail for months. (AC/New York Daily News) ...Someone should present that case to the same grand jury.