Bail Reform: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

[@swistedfilms]

Remember kids, if the penalty is a fine that means it's legal for the rich.

[@VitaeLibra]

If the price is a fine, then it's fine for a price

[@TimBryan]

All fines should be a percentage of income, that’s the only way to make it better.

[@thunderb00m]

@@TimBryan not just income. It should be a combination of income and net worth. Rich people avoid showing income using an army of accountants

[@TimBryan]

@@thunderb00m yes! Unfortunately it’s also easy to disguise net worth too, and easier when you’re rich.

[@VitaeLibra]

@@TimBryan still no. Being rich isn't just about earning more. There's a cut off point where being rich is a profit in and of itself. Every human needs some amount of money to survive. A poor person can't afford to lose any of that money since it all goes into living until the next paycheck. Hence, "living paycheck to paycheck". Once a person earns more than that they can start to build wealth. Doing stuff like investing leftover money in stocks or whatever they wanna do. To Elon musk, having to pay a 3rd of his monthly income is only annoying cause his big number goes down a little. To a truly poor person that means going without food for 2 days This is very badly written I realize. I am in a slight hurry. Hope it makes sense but Tl;dr: once you go past a certain level it almost doesn't matter how much a % of your income is your bail. Cause even if it's 100% of one months income, if as you earn double what you need to spend to live per month you can pay that off in 1 months work by not buying any luxuriesand saving. It's the same logic as trickle down economics. It doesn't work cause rich people don't need to spend all their money every month. That's why they're rich in the first place. Because they can save it up. Extra money isn't gonna mean they spend more money than last month. If it really has to be about money, which it should not when it comes to personal freedom or on the flip side the safety of others then it should work like tax brackets. Where the rich have a sizable investment to make and the poor have to weigh doing crime with the punishment and decide that not doing crime is better. But that's not how it works either. It would be much better to rework the system to be as efficient as possible without sacrificing true justice. And those that do go to prison or whatever should be checked to see if rehabilitation would be in everyone's best interest. Getting punished for "accidentally" killing your friend in a fit of rage is one thing. Having to live with the guilt is another. You can reenter the workforce and still have served your punishment. And if you killed someone in cold blood because it made you tingle or whatever crazy stuff happens to some people then you shouldn't be in prison anyways as you have different problems to work on in a mental hospital or something. But in the end, except for people who would genuinely kill or steal again there isn't many people that should be behind bars IMO. It has been proven time and time again that nobody learns their lesson by being punished. Only makes them want to do it again. We're humans and that's how we work. Now I really gotta go. Sorry for this turning into a slightly long rant

[@LePedant]

When I was 19, I was arrested for being 11 years behind on child support. My bail was set @ $5000, even though I was 19 years old and being accused of being 11 years behind on child support. A week later, when I finally got to see the judge, he released me because it's impossible for a 19-year-old to be 11 years behind on child support, and they had the wrong person. There is no way the judge even looked at the case when he assigned bail, if he had, he would have seen that they had the wrong person.

[@deleach18]

So what you're saying is if I don't want to pay child support all I have to do is invent a time machine?

[@AnthonyGoodley]

Aww come on man you expect us to believe that you weren't out there knocking up girls in grade school?

[@rrrreidlin]

wow, that's just infuriating

[@caelorae9646]

@@AnthonyGoodley Well yeah not when he was 8 years old

[@baileygregg6567]

If you were taught better or kept it in your pants😒 all young get dumb chances...

[@TheFAndison]

The Kalief Browder story is one of the saddest things in life. This actually not only killed him but his mother as well and negativity affected his siblings. He committed suicide, his mother was not paid the financial windfall from the wrongful conviction (which she deserved) and died from not affording treatment. Then his brother and sister were forced out of their family home. Human beings can be so evil

[@nickjacobs8507]

He was already a convicted felon

[@AW-mm3kx]

@@nickjacobs8507 Which means that one can then be held indefinitely without trial or conviction for a new and separate item?

[@pickabar]

@@nickjacobs8507 he was accused of taking a bakery truck for a joyride. He said he was innocent, but plead guilty.

[@aamnahere6250]

@@nickjacobs8507 You're a cruel and heartless POS but people who are callous enough to write such bullshit are usually proud of their inhumanity instead of being ashamed of it.

[@nickjacobs8507]

​@@aamnahere6250 Sorry the facts hurt your feelings but he was a convicted felon & its a fact that he was a criminal.

[@codacreator6162]

If you’ve never been in jail, falsely accused, you cannot imagine the psychological impact. It’s horrific. And permanent.

[@dylanbartley6360]

i wish more people understood this it ruins entire lives & families with it aswell

[@DuckinFeloniez]

Amen

[@maketacos99centsagain]

I understand that but what about everyone else who needs to be in jail. I have been in jail over public intoxication which ain't that bad, but I was in there with some real psychos some dudes who I thought to myself man you shouldn't be out in the street.

[@jeffheyer7783]

Well obviously… they generally don’t let people out if they are a danger.

[@jeffheyer7783]

Also, it’s not really up for YOU to decide.

[@MikeGill87]

Political adverts on TV - possibly the biggest problem in the US. Illegal in most of the world, completely unregulated in the US. WTF?

[@auroraoghene8073]

thank Bush for that, he changed it so reports don't have to be fair and balanced. If they lie, they just say 'it's for entertainment purposes,' that's how Fox news gets away with doing what they do.

[@ZakuIIKai]

This shit has led to people around me constantly talking about the "Purge Law" in Illinois. It's so fucking annoying and non-stop. Every political ad is that, abortion, or how Chicago is somehow a warzone and the worst place on Earth.

[@charlesfowler4205]

WOW!, I really didn't know that about other parts of the world. Thank you.

[@issecret1]

@@ZakuIIKai you have to be an idiot to not wonder about what the purge law is really about, with all due respect to people around you

[@akulaazizah7048]

And lied without repercussions. Fact checking for nothing.

[@Room142]

The second John started introducing the backpack story, I knew it was gonna be bad. I could see the welling of emotion in his face the moment he started talking about it. What a needless ruining of a young person's life. Edit: Also I respect John even more now (if that's even possible) after finding out he chose not to talk about that story in 2015 out of respect to the family. Mr. Oliver, you are one in a million.

[@AnderGdeT]

He definitely gets visibly angrier and angrier.

[@InservioLetum]

* 330 million

[@SgtJoeSmith]

really i lost respect after he flat out lied how bail bonds work. the bondsman does not charge a fee of 10% but less than $100 and the 10% of bail you put down is given back regardless of the outcome. I quit watching cause every night its more lies from him. he might as well be on cnn

[@brandim2211]

@@SgtJoeSmith I just looked up the rules here in Florida and it says the 10% is non-refundable. Maybe it’s different state to state, but it’s not accurate to say it’s a lie. It won’t let me reply to his response? Did he block me? Anyway, I did dig around some more and per JaxCriminalDefenseAttorney: So, if bail is set at $10,000 and the defendant uses a bail bond agent, the defendant pays the agent $1,000 and the agent posts $10,000 or with the court. But, there’s a downside to bail bonds-the 10% paid to the bondsman is a fee, not a deposit to ensure appearance. That means the $1,000 is gone forever. Even if the charges against the defendant are dismissed entirely, that money isn’t coming back.”

[@saberg2443]

In Texas if you post bail you don’t get your money back

[@conors4430]

If you have 3 million people in prison and the streets still aren’t safe, then maybe something else is going on beyond just filling prisons

[@UniversalJuan]

DING DING DING DING DING DING

[@FR-ji3hw]

The streets aren't all that unsafe unless you're not aware of your surroundings.

[@damenwhelan3236]

Slavery.

[@bunk95]

Prisons are fictional. Did someone tel you they exist outside of fiction?

[@CrazyQuilman157]

I know this comment is over a year old, but in case you haven't figured it out, I can tell you what those folks consider the biggest, most rampant crime in the US is, and what they think the punishment should be.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Here in Scandinavia, they can only jail you if they expect a conviction giving you prison time, if you’re found guilty, the time you’re jailed will be subtracted from prison time - and if you’re found not guilty, the state has to pay you a fairly high compensation, so there’s a high incentive for the state to release people if they can’t get convicted quickly, and if it’s not likely they will get a longer prison sentence! I don’t think there’s any countries in Europe that uses bail, at least not in the way the US is! Here "bail" is more a set of restrictions, possible confiscating your passport! US system is just a way to make money!

[@EisenSMT]

"US system is just a way to make money" Apply that statement that to quite literally every facet of life, and you have America in a nutshell

[@LadyDoomsinger]

Yay capitalism?

[@cablehogue599]

@@EisenSMT education, housing, medical care, transportation, etc.

[@javieraramirez4289]

Bail pretty much does not exist anywhere else but the US. It is very likely that its abuse and overuse by courts is due to most jails being privatized. The vast majority of jails in the US are ran by large private corporations and the whole point of those corporations is not to help and reform peoples behavior, but to increase their inmate population. More inmates = more money. I’m almost certain they lobby heavily for those republican candidates to win elections

[@auroraoghene8073]

@@LadyDoomsinger it's not capitalism, it's corporate greed

[@Zetsuga47]

"Pleading guilty to something I didn't do just to end the suffering" sounds eerily familiar to describing torture.

[@TheBackyardChemist]

Sounds like something from the Soviet Union.

[@byanymeansnecessary9329]

@@TheBackyardChemist actually it sounds like something from amerikkka, but amerikkkans are great at deflection and misdirection

[@SoCoolScience]

or possibly very familiar to Salem witch trials

[@robertpresley1503]

@@TheBackyardChemist or, ya know, the United States. Guantanamo is still open.

[@Wawoj007]

@@TheBackyardChemist Wow your comment is a realy good example how the propaganda teached you to allways associate everything bad with the Soviets/communism no matter how typical for America/Capitalism it is

[@ryanra44]

Our judicial system is a joke. 4 years ago I was falsely arrested. Had to spend 2 days in jail bc a judge wasn’t available to set my bail. Had to pay $800 for bail to get out. Then pay $3000 for a lawyer to represent me just to have the charges dismissed. To this day. Every time you google my name. I have an arrest photo that shows up on Google for something I didn’t even do. The system is absolutely terrible. That false arrest will follow me for the rest of my live.

[@ZentaBon]

My heart burns for you my friend. I may not have been falsely arrested myself, but we fight this battle together. Honestly names and photos shouldn't be able to be released unless an actual conviction is issued...

[@ryanra44]

@@ZentaBon yeah. It is totally ridiculous that names and photos are plastered on the internet for all-time. I legit had someone ask me about it in a job interview bc they googled me. So embarrassing

[@niceMange]

I was falsely arrested for dui and had to spend a little over twelve hours in jail, pay a $50 bail to get out and miss two days of work for court hearings before all charges were dropped. They were dropped because I don't drink alcohol, I can't drink alcohol for medical reasons. That should have been apparent to the officer after I passed the field sobriety test and then volunteered to take and subsequently passed the breathalyzer test, but he did witness me leaving a bar, a bar I drink water and sing karaoke at, and I have a natural slur in my speech pattern...

[@CRneu]

Oregon is one of the states that publish mug shots. They recently stopped, or at least some counties, for this very reason. There was a whole economy setup around taking these mug shots and publishing them in newspaper-esque periodicals which sat next to checkouts at gas stations. That means an innocent person's face would be plastered all over the place in print media for a crime they weren't convicted of.

[@ryanra44]

@@CRneu in Louisiana, the mug shots are up on the Parishes (county) police website before I was even released. I was told if I paid a lawyer an additional $5000 they could possibly get it removed

[@cloud__99]

I‘m not American. But every time John does one of the justice system pieces I‘m feeling uncontrollable rage and disbelief.

[@shaunspadafora7943]

I'm an American and every time John does one of these videos, I can't help but ponder how I can get the hell out of here!

[@bobpurcell7175]

One of the smartest things they ever did ('They' being The Department of Bullshit...more like a trunk than a mere branch of government) was to convince us the rest of the world was, somehow, worse off. Worked for awhile, until the tourists showed up 🤷

[@Rocky12323]

@@shaunspadafora7943international flight and don’t come back. Problem solved.

[@Greg_tha_rushin]

When I was in jail prior to bail reform, I was next to a guy who had been there for over a year because they kept rescheduling his court date. He didn't have the money to make his $10,000 bail and he claimed he was innocent so he didn't want to take a plea deal. I was lucky enough to have family who were able to pay for me to be released (I then went to court dates every three months for like 18 months before the matter was finally settled), but I later learned his case was dismissed and he was released.... just lost a chunk of his life for no reason and with no compensation. Now, I see these ads all the time that want to bring that system back. It's beyond fucked up.

[@rabbit251]

Reality sucks. And so bail reform is....?

[@randomjunkohyeah1]

@@rabbit251 What?

[@davidbeppler3032]

We should get rid of bail. If you are arrested you can not get out of prison until set free by a jury. Guilty until found innocent by a trial of your peers.

[@vez3834]

@@rabbit251 good, necessary, uncaring about your "feelings", right, ethical, moral, just, unhypocritical, economical, safe, merited, the norm in other countries... Overall unsucky.

[@ahotdj07]

That is heartbreaking. Not to mention, the issues he might have with getting job, home, etc. But moreover, the time lost for something he never did. The system needs to be held accountable.

[@jgray2718]

One point on the guy who plead guilty to a burglary he says he didn't do: if he didn't do it, they didn't find the guy who did, because they convicted him for it. "Tough on crime" often means "stupid on crime" because of the excessive zeal to convict the first person who could plausibly have done it. If that's not the guy, it means you didn't catch the right guy, so not only did you hurt an innocent person, you let a guilty person go free.

[@firstnamelastname7708]

Well said! I think about that every time police are caught bending over backwards to frame an innocent person for heinous crimes. How many serial killers and serial sex criminals are walking around free and undetected because shoddy police work has made innocent people pay for their crimes?

[@onkelpappkov2666]

@@firstnamelastname7708 Makes sense that they want to close the case as fast as possible if they're covering for a buddy who did the crime.

[@hedgehog3180]

@@firstnamelastname7708 Oh we know, just look up how many employees your local police department has.

[@davidluckens3479]

thank you for this comment

[@helenak.5762]

Well said. Thank you

[@jaydaba]

Thank you for mentioning Kalief Browder. His case was heartbreaking he was literally just a kid forgotten in the system and then dismissed.

[@bunk95]

Someone fiction was fictional?

[@LizLuvsCupcakes]

@@bunk95 That's nice, honey.

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

When you said Kalief killed himself the night before, I started crying. Watching the clear pain in his voice and on his face was about to break me. God damn. Poor kiddo deserved so much better. And yeah, at 16, he was a kid.

[@seth5308]

🤡

[@tpico93]

There’s a docuseries on Netflix about Kalief that is moving and heart breaking. I instantly began to cry now watching his interview, knowing what happened to him and how much he suffered.

[@big_vart]

Republicans are a joke.

[@Sunnygrrl99]

It's one of the most devastating news stories I've ever heard. Just so, so disgusting. "Land of the free" absolutely no it is not, what a lie.

[@isaacsmith4267]

Kalief died at 22 years old. He went into Rikers at 16, stayed there for three whole years awaiting trial for a crime he did not commit, and the whole experience broke him so much that he hanged himself at 22, a few years after his release. He spent 700 days in solitary confinement. Please also read the New Yorker's coverage of his incarceration and death. It is tragic and infuriating all at the same time. And if we didn't decide that people should be basically held for ransom - because that's what cash bail is - then maybe he'd still be with us today.

[@RajTat]

Happened to me. Was 33 yr old student got arrested for a drug situation (weed) my now ex wife had brought into our home. Bail was set to 5k, and then raised to 10k when they mistook my identity. I spent 2 weeks in jail and was expelled from school and my son was taken away. Without a job and without that education and my ex being in her own hot soup, custody was permanently stripped and I spent the next three years rebuilding as a result of bail not being payable. My only crime was not turning in my ex for a drug crime that wouldn't even be punishable into half a dozen states.

[@kylaarmstrong-benjamin8066]

That sounds like some absolute bullshit! I know people who were caught with HEROINE and an unregistered gun in their home with their children inside at the time, and didn't lose custody of them! And the only reason one of the parents wasn't back home that same day, was because of 2 unpaid traffic tickets, and the bail was more than they were able to come up with that day.

[@bernpri7580]

Pot crimes should not be thi g as long as your not trafficking

[@DmonHiro]

@@bernpri7580 They shouldn't be a thing at all. It's WEED. There has never been a weed-related violent crime.

[@hotrodG2]

@@DmonHiro idk about that, it's possible speaking from my own experience tbh not sure what you mean by violent though i could be misinterpreting what u mean

[@OlaDeen2018]

Wow, that really sucks. That must've been traumatizing. I hope you get to spend time with your son.

[@nethkenm]

Take it further. A ton of job applications ask whether you've been arrested. Not convicted. Arrested. Oregon outlawed the criminal history questions on job apps, but it needs to happen in all states.

[@bernpri7580]

I got a dui as a juvenile and I still have to put it on job apps 15 years later ... it hasn't stopped me from getting a job but it's Still total bs that a job can legally require me to state whether I had a dui when the job requires 0 driving and is remote ..

[@nomoregdm]

@@bernpri7580 we can take that further. Why are we reporting DUIs, a clear addiction/mental health issue, as a criminal case at all? Why are you reporting crimes in a record that by LAW has to be sealed (juvenile). The hilarious thing to me about how bad racism is in this country is that once you start to see it, you see how entire corrupt systems and all of America was built to control PoC. And how that ultimately hurts all citizens. It’s this argument right here. Pay attention.

[@howtobe_rich]

I don't think people should be punished and prevented from earning a living for mistakes they made in the past!

[@chevelle1]

It’s insanity. Innocent people are arrested all the time because the cop was either wrong, protecting his brother in blue, planted evidence, flat out lied or was simply in a bad mood. The police have entirely far too much unchecked power and influence in our society. Mostly because majority of people still blindly support them. Edit: Often times, it’s the political side that is pro Constitution and anti big government. Yet ironically blindly support the agents of big government (police). It’s as if they just can’t quite make that connection. (I used to be one)

[@Azraiel.Bridger]

yeah no im not going to hire convict the public has a right to know who they are dealing with and tigers dont change their stripes ....the majority of thefts and other criminal action like vandalism comes from hourly employees on the job ..this is stastically proven and the larger your business the more losses you incur

[@LadyDoomsinger]

"You're charged with a crime, you're guilty... But also presumed innocent." So, it's like Schrödinger's Cat. You are both guilty and innocent, until someone opens the box, and finds out you died, because you were locked in a box.

[@djdrack4681]

Its so much more simple: whereas the cat could die if the wave function isn't collapsed fast enough...none of that matters for bail: if the county stands to make a lot then all bets are off because they are focused on 1) making corruption $ any way possible 2) helping the people if they have time to get around to it.

[@Resi1ience]

I'm genuinely glad that the political party I align with doesn't say stupid shit like this. "We assume you're guilty" and "You have the right to a presumption of innocence" are mutually exclusive. You seriously do not have to be a genius to realize that.

[@benjaminhoover6427]

Lady, spot on

[@calholli]

It's funny how none of this bail talk applies to the Jan6 people, who nearly all of them did nothing wrong besides walk through a building; yet many of them are still not out/ no bail/ no trial. Lets not talk about that though.

[@ankeu.a.wallace]

👍😅😂🤣

[@tanadarko6991]

That poor child whose life was destroyed by the accusation of stealing a backpack... legitimately brought tears to my eyes. Everything is so fucked up

[@rd6203]

💔

[@Nostripe361]

I am confused by something. How was he stuck in Jail for years? I thought you can't be held in jail without trial for that long?

[@heyysimone]

@@Nostripe361 probably because they had no evidence on him actually having done it, the case got forgotten about and so no trial was set up for him. I wouldnt surprise me. Look at how many people are in jails in america and how many are added everyday. Some of them are bound to slip through the cracks.

[@heyysimone]

Hearing that he killed himself - normally they use the words 'took his life' or 'committed suicide' but saying "killed himself" was a good idea because it really hammers home what he actually did - was gutwrenching. I knew thats what was going to be said but still, having it confirmed hurt. He had the best years of his life taken away and he could never get them back and the rest of his life was ruined.

[@rohankurian5641]

😪✌

[@meredithmiller8629]

Here’s a fun fact I learned while in jail for literally nothing: they can hold you for 72 hours without pressing anything. Except your first day in there don’t count, and neither do weekends. I was arrested on a Wednesday and if I couldn’t make bail, their “72” hour rule would have had me out the following Tuesday despite arresting me Wednesday morning

[@chadanding8692]

In a holding cell, at that.

[@jessejordache1869]

Under what circumstances? My understanding was to hold someone you have to a) arrest them, or b) get two psychiatric consultants to affirm that they are a danger to themselves or others. The psychiatric rule is one people should check the details of in their particular state, but I've known too many people who were held in a police station until the morning because someone thought they sounded depressed. "How did they manage to 2PC you?" I ask, knowing ahead of time they won't know what that is, because if they did, they wouldn't have spent the night handcuffed to a bench. I'm not arguing with you: my question is not rhetorical.

[@Everettel]

In North Carolina, I was held in jail from Friday morning to Tuesday then a judge dismissed the charges, which I didn't do.

[@grannypeacock]

@@jessejordache1869 I have a friend in Wisconsin who was held for almost 5 days under a similar policy. It was on a disorderly conduct with charges dropped

[@curtismcallister9569]

@@jessejordache1869 in oregon, or at least multnomah county you can be held with your bail set at $0, meaning you'll be released as soon as possible. but if you're booked on a Friday, the system won't clear you to leave until Monday it's not technically an indefinite hold, it's just conveniently a system with long, built-in delays, even or especially for innocent people

[@Paulinemoke]

As somebody living in Germany, I am just baffeled by this System. The thought that I could be accused of a crime and go to jail for three years without any explanation would haunt me every day. What the heck? It is also incredibly expensive to keep somebody that long in jail, so even if you dont care about these people, you're paying to hurt them.

[@MijmerMopper]

Watch more of this show. American prisoners get put to forced labour and presented a bill for their stay.

[@sea_triscuit7980]

In America you're guilty until proven innocent... Just like the internet... I swear America has become a Twitter comment thread

[@XLightChanX]

to be fair we have a similar problem in germany. because courts take too long to convict people in u-haft, they are released since you can only be in u-haft for so long (i mean only few exceptions that are really outstanding like beate zschäpe). technically it's right that they shouldn't be in u-haft for that long, but practically we release people that even qualified for u-haft in the first place or in some cases even are convicted but not the final verdict yet. fun times.

[@garbagegremlins4707]

Prison industrial complex/neo slavery baby. It’s the American way. And it’s disgusting

[@sams3533]

That's the point. The US is an experiment about how to make the most robust human cattle the world has ever seen.

[@matrinoxtm]

It’s crazy how people can lose their empathy for someone when they THINK that person is guilty

[@rabbit251]

I'm a retired attorney. Statistically, 90% of criminal cases plead out. Of the 10% that do go to trial, they clog up the system that if you have a civil case it takes over a year to get a court date. Of those 10% criminal cases that go to trial, 90% of them will be convicted solely on the verbal evidence that the police give. Basically, once the police charge you, you are guilty.

[@leok7193]

And what about those people with preponderance off evidence (caught on video fleeing the scene of an accident, in possession of stolen property, sold drugs to undercover, etc) that are in fact guilty, but not yet convicted?

[@Beegrene]

@@leok7193 You don't give them bail, obviously. No one is suggesting otherwise. It's silly to even bring up such a fictional scenario.

[@LadyDoomsinger]

I would argue we should have empathy for people, EVEN if they are convicted of a crime; they are still people. We don't have to like them or even want them around us, but at the very least we can treat people as actual human beings, regardless of whether they committed a crime or not.

[@IMatchoNation]

Conservatives use this system to stamp felony convictions onto Democrat-voting community groups. In many cases, the US takes your voting rights away if you're convicted felon so it's an effective system to steal more elections.

[@albertmooney2628]

Better to let ten guilty men go free than to have one innocent person suffer. - William Blackstone

[@ManyfiresWoman]

That 16 yr old young man who was jailed for 3 years becuz his family couldn't pay bail and hadn't even been convicted of stealing a backpack and then released 3 years later after all charges were dismissed and ends up taking his life. Both frightening and sad. Frightening because that could have been my daughter or grandsons. And sad that a young man lost his life and a mother lost her son for absolutely no reason at all. All because our justice system makes a profit off of the poor. Thank you, John, for educating me!

[@rileyhogan5196]

I went to jail for something I did not do. My bail hearing was in a cell where they'd set up a TV so we can be remotely arraigned. The judge muted his mic to take a personal phone call and kick back and laugh for five minutes while we all waited in line to hear what our bail was being set at. When I was asked if I needed a lawyer I told the Judge I wasn't sure and he said "Sign that paper I don't have all day" and when I said "I don't know if I should sign or not" the Judge antagonized the other inmates behind me to 'set me right' and the guards approached me and slammed a pen down in front of me. I was coerced into signing my right to a public defender away. It will not surprise you to know that this happened in Texas.

[@XatxiFly]

Absolutely appalling. Clearly the gravity of the law only applies when it can take someone's rights away and protecting them is incidental as a civic duty.

[@rileyhogan5196]

@@XatxiFly Same jail regularly fails inspection. An inmate died there just a week or two ago. Honestly the experience traumatized me and still affects me, but I also don't want to go back to being ignorant to how aweful my state's criminal justice system is.

[@mikebailey1284]

Where is the shame in the american system

[@spongeintheshoe]

Moral of the story: You *ALWAYS* need a lawyer.

[@mjhaskel9182]

This breaks my heart. I'm so sorry you had to endure the injustice of a system based on paranoia just to keep people happy to be oppressed. You deserved better. May the rest of your life be blessed and may things change with the new generations to make things better for everyone.

[@CuddyMac]

I've been rubber stamped to serving a sentence, without pleading guilty. Only thing that got me out was an attorney at a cost of 2k. Day after I hired her, I was out.

[@manueldg5177]

So you have the money to pay

[@Gobbldeegoo1]

@@manueldg5177 how the fu** was that a logical response to what they said?

[@CuddyMac]

@@manueldg5177 I did. But initially I didn't know the cost. I was give the option of affording an attorney of which I didn't know the cost, staying in jail, or changing my plea. I ended up in jail. I wouldn't have had a hearing until 70 days after my arrest. I called attorneys from a half way house. Hired one and the next day I was out. I didn't consider myself a flight risk. I owned rental property, had truck payments and I was considered a risk my the prosecution. Unless I changed my plea or hired an attorney I was stuck. The attorney given 2k saw me released. Had I no money I'd been fucked.

[@sangwaraumo]

​@@manueldg5177 That's the point. He would've been in prison if he didn't have the money. How is that fair for people without the money?

[@Hellheart]

That's exactly how our system works. It's set up that way. Pay one way or another, or sit in county jail.

[@JennzOrs]

As someone who was given bail instead of being released on my own recognizance for correcting the judge when he called me a "meth addict" because I was trying to better myself from heroin addiction with Methadone maintenance program (monitored by doctors, daily appts, weekly therapy, etc.), I approve this message.

[@jaynenunya6070]

ugh, I'm sorry to hear you went through that, dude. I hope your recovery is going well.

[@JennzOrs]

@Jayne Nunya been clean for about 20 years now. I was mad at the time, but I definitely needed the lesson on my journey. It changed my life.

[@steamnamebbderinvade__]

@@JennzOrsYou should have been sentenced to a hospital instead; any wrongdoing there and you can be pulled upstairs with barred windows.

[@JennzOrs]

@@steamnamebbderinvade__ it definitely really sucked to have to cold-turkey in jail. It was very rough

[@bunk95]

Judges are fictional. Are they marketing some of my slaves with that fiction near you?

[@kappadarwin9476]

That broke my heart to see that an innocent man killed himself all because we as a nation are so obsessed with crime that we assume all are guilty until proven innocent...unless you have money or power.

[@rabbit251]

Really? You didn't know his story? You should research it. Not only will it break your heart, it will tear it in two!!!

[@pdjinne65]

It's unfair, evil, and not something that happens in a country that pretends to value freedom.

[@sirsmokeefortwence25]

That part broke my heart :(

[@mikemann1960]

Power coupons!

[@jerrybergsteinbaum8008]

Well adnan syed and julius jones are DEFINITELY guilty and syed got out...

[@grriot]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS!!! Way back, when I was 19, I was naive enough to give a ride ro a friend that happened to be an addict. I was driving him home and got a bit lost, as this was pre-GPS and I was 19. We got pulled over, my car was searched and RESIDUE of drugs was found in the PASSENGER'S messenger bag. We were both arrested, but he was let go and never charged. My car was impounded. I had a virtual bail hearing that lasted a few seconds, without anyone explaining anything to me or any counsel present, which ended in $1,000 bail (I had the gall to plead innocent). I couldn't bail myself out because, while bondsman in the area would have only asked for $100- $200 dollars, I didn't have a bank card. My antidepressant medication was at home and after days of waiting I finally met with the psychiatrist, who bluntly told me that they did not have my medication not in their stock and thus I would not be getting it, nor a replacement SSRI. I was violently ill, as this was a medication that was not to be just stopped abruptly. Their solution was to stick me in a cell by myself so I could vomit myself to death in without bothering anyone. Luckily the inmate that brought the trays happily traded my trays, which I couldn't keep down anyways, in exchange for a sink full of ice and a good bail bond phone number to facilitate contacting my mother who lived in the next state over. After almost two weeks of projectile vomiting and hallucinations I was lucky enough to have my sweet, and confused, Mum show up and take me straight to the ER. I lost my job, had a huge mental health setback, and almost lost my car as well. All because I gave a jerk a ride home. Finally as I couldn't afford a lawyer, and was still insisting upon my innocence, I caught a charge and was on probation for 2 YEARS. The system is royally effed.

[@privacyplease1556]

Hopefully that was the last time you chose to associate yourself with drug addicts. All entirely avoidable.

[@Anemonemarie]

@@privacyplease1556 that's your takeaway? Not that the justice system isn't operating as it should and maybe that some laws are kind of dumb, but that you should make sure you stay away from people that do drugs? What if you don't know if they do? Be more sympathetic.

[@EtherD86]

@@Anemonemarie The privileged will never comprehend anything beyond their bubbles.

[@jasoncisney6366]

@@privacyplease1556 ARE YOU A REAL HUMAN?? How can this be a reasonable takeaway from this awful, tragic story? Even if you're trolling, you're seriously delusional if you think that's an OK thing to say.

[@rhondajohnson2725]

PRIVACY PLEASE. Lack of empathy correlates strongly with lack of higher-level reasoning (stupidity. I thought you may need it more obviously stated). Learn a thing and be better.

[@thelemaagape6128]

That young man who took his life after being released for a robbery charge is absolutely heart breaking

[@AriesGirl7719]

Kalief Browder. His story guts me. Just proves that being poor is a crime in this country.

[@francoisperrin7397]

I cannot agree more with you and the people who are responsible for his death are walking free as we speak. This is humanity at its worst 😞.

[@MB5rider81]

What's really heartbreaking is how Kyle Rittenhouse killed a man with an AR-15 because he was threatened with a fist fight.

[@thelemaagape6128]

@@MB5rider81 absolutely beside the point, but yeah, Rittenhouse should be in prison on a life sentence. It is a broken system and failed judicial system of systemic racism that arrests innocent young black man who remained in jail for years while a white nationalist kills a man and walks free and is deemed innocent by a court of law. Sickening.

[@noncog1]

I came very close to being the same story, literally despite the alleged victim denying i did anything, the detective pushed anyway and im still dealing with it nearly 6 years later.

[@P5YCH0D3L1C]

The amount of times I've heard or seen a judge arbitrarily worsen a life based on as much as not liking the look on their face while their life is being trenched has always twisted at me

[@potatoesindrag4095]

And those judges should be stripped of their bar license and ban practicing law. But judges are like gods in most counties, and states, untouchable by most everyone. Takes an act of *insert your own deity* to remove one and even then new one isn't guarantee to be any better.

[@hermanhoppe3773]

Why does bail exist? Every case should be judged individually and chared should be let out for trial based on How dangerous they are or did they commit the crime earlier. In Manhattan where I live an Old man was brutally beaten and robbed the Robber was caught earlier last month for a street fight and shoplifting and he has a rap sheet. Why He was out on Bail reform? I believe all people charged with a victimless crime should be free. But Muggers, Robbers, and Aussulters should be in jail

[@tomlxyz]

@@hermanhoppe3773 bail exists in the US because you're not required to tell the government where you live, so it would be hard to find you if they have to even if you don't hide. At least that's the explanation I've heard

[@Hunter-jj9bo]

How about the psychological impact of the victims of Darryl Brooks and their families? Released on no cash bail after violently assaulting his girlfriend before he mowed down and murdered 8 people including a child.

[@huhhhhhhhhhhhh09]

It's a really great reminder that you NEED to figure out why someone is in a position of authority. Most people tip their hands within the first few minutes of meeting them; did they reach this position out of a desire to better society and do the right thing OR has it always been a desperate need to feel strong and have a power trip? Depending on the answer there are wildly different expectations, we could do a lot more to notice and start eliminating these ego-driven people from such positions.

[@Coldheart322]

The thing which gets me the most from this story is hearing about people being in jail for at least as long as they could have been sentenced for if they had been convicted. How the hell can you be held for that long without a court date?

[@thunder____]

The United States simply jails more people than it's injustice system can handle (both because this country loves cops/private prison profits/fucking over anyone who isn't white and because this country hates funding anything at all ever except for welfare for the rich), so the backlog of cases just keeps getting worse and worse, leading to longer and longer delays for people who may or may not be guilty. So we theoretically have the constitutional right to a "speedy trial", but in practice, this right is violated all the time.

[@kenstar3692]

It's going on three years for me. Luckily I had plenty of money at the time to stay out of jail. My money is running out and they are trying to put me in jail so I will have to take a deal. I did absolutely nothing. There is no evidence against me. There is no case against me. My charges aren't even what I was arrested for. I lost over $100k in equipment from civil asset forfeiture. I've been on pretrial which is the exact same thing as probation. Same restrictions and fees. If I violate due to non-payment I go to jail until trial. That means I can get 5 years for no crime committed

[@I.____.....__...__]

(1) The courts are backed up for months or even years because there are INFINITE LAWS to make sure that EVERYBODY is guilty of something or other so that the system can squeeze money out of everybody. (2) We live in 1692 Salem. 😒

[@bunk95]

Government, religion and industry are fictional things.

[@hombreduro369]

Criminals love this stupid idea.

[@nitesh95garg]

The whole system of privately owned prisons incentivizes prison companies to lobby for stopping these reforms and politicians get funding for their campaign. Prisons among other things like arms manufacturing, policing etc. should never be privatized.

[@TimBryan]

Prisons, Law Enforcement, and Medicine are a few of the industries that need to be structured to try and put themselves out of business; unfortunately most exist on a for-profit model.

[@davidbeppler3032]

Too bad that politicians can accept donations and campaign contributions. Maybe if they all had to use Tax Payer money instead, they could not be bought? Just saying. Thanks Republicans for ruining democracy.

[@heartdragon2386]

When a catering server years ago, I overheard two execs of the medical company the party was for. They were discussing different laws they or friends broke regularly. "It isn't illegal. You just have to pay the fine." Like that was common knowledge. One telling how he explained this to his son. Something like, "we've worked hard to to not have to worry about that kind of stuff." I have never been so uncomfortable to refill butter dishes.

[@jessejordache1869]

Isn't that why they invented ex-lax?

[@Julia-lk8jn]

See, and that's why it's a good thing to carry stuff like laxatives, mild poisons, maybe a touch of arsenic ... that might have made you so much more comfortable refilling the butter dish nearest to those two. Dear gods, those are some quotes. But honestly, I can't quite believe that somebody would honestly tell his son "you don't have to worry about anything that carries a fine" - I means, surely he doesn't want his son to end up a criminal?

[@NoahGooder]

thats just terrifying

[@jessejordache1869]

@@NoahGooder You don't offend the food service. That's just common sense.

[@NoahGooder]

@@jessejordache1869 I never do and If I notice a waiter or whatever seems to be stressed I try to ask if they are ok out of well concern.

[@GalladofBales]

I hate that we just let police lie on television and in the papers. I've talked to so many people, especially older people including my in-laws, who understandably fall for the police propaganda and are constantly fearful of crime and criminals. It's so deliberate how they do this, and showing people facts doesn't change their mind because you're right, the fear-mongering ads on the TV are much more compelling to many people. Thank you for doing stories like this, because we can't just ruin people's lives for the comfort of people who are afraid of crime. And I think people should be more afraid of the state's ability to take their rights away than of being the victim of crime. The story of that young man who was held for 3 years and missed his high school years was heartbreaking.

[@Lionfish5656]

Especially older white people. This is because generally, the police don't harass white & East Asian communities. They love to push policies that keep minorities down. If we were over 98% white like Poland, I doubt that any of these people would support the kind of policing that they currently do & we'd have a much larger social safety net.

[@Lionfish5656]

Perhaps then we should have a maximum voting age of 65 & lower the minimum voting age to 12. That will do a lot to significantly reform our criminal justice system

[@Hunter-jj9bo]

How about the psychological impact of the victims of Darryl Brooks and their families? Released on no cash bail after violently assaulting his girlfriend before he mowed down and murdered 8 people including a child.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

This is one of those situations where the lie is so blatant, people can't believe it exists. Most people believe there are probably laws telling police to say true things because it intuitively makes sense. People with a moral compass know that you can't have liars in office. So if you tell them that's exactly what's happening, in their minds the odds of that are so low, there has to be another explanation. Nobody would just LIE in public. People don't just LIE all the time. But they do and it's such a hard truth to swallow that most people will rather elect to ignore the topic.

[@DoctorWhoKage]

All this bs reminds me of a quote from the villain of the first Fantastic Beasts movie which says something to the effect of: "Who are we protecting...us, or them?" And the Fantastic Beasts movies are set in the Wizarding World of the Harry Potter universe. A Wizarding World that oppresses themselves for the benefit of us normal people because they're afraid of being hunted down and killed like they were during the Witch hunts. It's a system that didn't serve the Wizarding World anymore mainly because it isn't the late 1600s anymore and because the Witches and Wizards were practically hiding in caves like cavemen once did. And if all we do is hide for our survival, then we never progress ourselves beyond the 1900s or 1600s.

[@caseyleirer9677]

That “yeah” vs “yes” scenario reminds me a lot of the “I want a lawyer dog” scenario. Where they thought the guy was asking for a dog that was a lawyer, and not legal counsel.

[@GoStReKoN]

You're actually being too generous with that, none of them were actually stupid enough to think he wanted a dog with a degree, they just wanted to use that an excuse to deprive him of his constitutional rights.

[@heathersmith4042]

they didn't think that man literally wanted a "lawyer dog", anymore than that judge was "confused" by the answer of 'yeah'. the state knew exactly what was going on in both scenarios, but gleefully took the excuse to fuck someone over.

[@derpinguin7003]

Maybe the color folk could learn to speak properly.

[@damenwhelan3236]

That was the cops being obtuse. The judge giving a clear instuction and getting interrupted while explaining further and then being met with the same responce the judge said would not be accepted. And again was met with a cat noise. "Gnyea" sounds like nah as much as it sounds like yeah.. It is why they ask you answer clearly with yes or no.

[@derpinguin7003]

Maybe the „kangz“ could learn to speak like normal people. Would help in these situations.

[@NathanSimonGottemer]

Ah yes time for “What else about the system we live in is senselessly cruel weekly”

[@js2010ish]

😞

[@willreasoner4472]

What do you expect when most of the people making these rules are former cops and people close with the FOP.. everything they do is senselessly cruel.. that’s why they became cops..

[@NathanSimonGottemer]

​@@willreasoner4472 I think in particular the reason the American version of this is particularly awful is the influence of slavery -- it's the origin of so many of our institutions from the police force to the corporate ladder to mortgages and big banks and bonds and even the stock market. Part of the reason the GOP and the Wrong-wing politicians are so set on banning books about race relations is because they're scared people will realize how deeply ingrained slavery is in the entirety of the American system to this very day, and then the bastards who pay them constant bribes ("contributions") will stop doing that if the people learn the truth.

[@Derguz]

It never ceases to amaze me that one of the last countries to abolish slavery still think that privatized prisons, and prison labor is somehow not slavery...

[@carrieullrich5059]

America didn't abolish slavery. Slavery is legal for prisoners.

[@weerwolfproductions]

The 13th amendment has a clause specifically stating that slave labour can be imposed on prisoners. this has led to prison laws changing every time there was social reform for people of colour in the USA. I can't recommend the documentary '13th' enough as an eye opener to how seriously skewed to keeping people imprisoned the US 'justice' system is. For example the difference in min-max jail time between possession of powdered cocaine and crack cocaine. And the link between in which communities each form of the same drug was used.

[@Poldovico]

They only partially abolished it. Still allowed as punishment for a crime.

[@davidbeppler3032]

Slavery is the highest form of capitalism.

[@jamespryor5967]

It is slavery, it's legal there. So while your implied cognitive dissonance doesn't exist, it's actually far worse.

[@kegidz]

The extent to which wealth and poverty affect the justice system is such a harrowing thought

[@christian2i]

Ever wonder if this might not be a liberal democracy? Or worse, if this is exactly that - a class based society

[@kylezo]

This is the logical ramification of capitalism. For profit prisons and slave exploitation are core necessities of capitalist systems. There has to be an oppressed class for capitalism to function correctly, and that's exactly what we have right now.

[@davidbeppler3032]

We should get rid of bail. If you are arrested you can not get out of prison until set free by a jury. Guilty until found innocent by a trial of your peers.

[@Nightmare-pj4fg]

Well that’s kind of the point, being jailed for being poor. It’s a way to both further reduce social mobility, and continue the age old practice of the slave trade in the US. You can look at the 13th amendment if you don’t believe me. The industry of prisoners working without pay is a major way for corporations to stay above the margin of profitability.

[@bitze865]

This is way worse in america than in any other "civilized country" because of the private jail system that basically have a financial incentive to house as many prisoners as long as possible. You are at the fucking top of the list of incarcerated citizens per capita and the one that come close are countrys like El Salvador and Turkmenistan. Unless you agree that americans are the most criminal people on the planet on average, this should give everyone pause. I hear people screaming communism already, but some things shouldnt be privately owned and run for profit, prisons and healthcare are a few good examples.

[@cyberhopser4231]

Over here in Germany, you can only be put in jail if there's either a flight risk or if there are reasonable suspicions that you might tamper with evidence or witnesses. And even then the public prosecuter has to get a detention order from a judge no later than the next day, otherwise you have to be released

[@mirkotorresani9615]

Same here in Italy. Is so strict that that is so common to know the conditions, also if you are not work in the justice

[@bencoomer2000]

That kid was basically killed by a system that wanted him dead. Or maybe worse, didn't care that he would die. Makes me FURIOUS.

[@davidbeppler3032]

Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems.

[@peppermintbee]

Over a fucking backpack. 3 years of his life gone over a fucking backpack.

[@faranyk833]

Rest in peace!

[@hedgehog3180]

@@peppermintbee Which as it turns out, never actually existed and the guy just straight up lied.

[@ylariapronouncede-lah-d-ah9996]

The irony of this is I literally just posted my bail yesterday, and the whole thing started because I called 911 when I was attacked by my sister. There's audio of me screaming for her to get off me and her threatening to kill me. Since there was no video evidence the police said they would arrest both of us. But i found out because my sister looks way more fragile than I do and was freaking out /crying because she was getting in trouble. While I was extremely calm, since I did nothing wrong and had a slight more bulky build they charged me with battery. She even admitted later to my family that she DID attack me first and SHE LIED TO THE POLICE. The police had no evidence other than our statements which was a he said she said and that audio which had us both yelling at each other. However I was the one charged with battery and she was only charged with destruction of property. My bail was $5,000 for a petty crime since the fight was at our house(no one called the police on us, I was the one since i was tired of her attacking me), I f****** called the police to get help and they arrested me for it. My first time ever in my life, 30 years, getting in trouble with the police. $5k, who has that kind of money. I was lucky enough that I had $500 in my savings account otherwise I would have been stuck in there. Which was a holding cell not even the jail, they were overpopulated so there were girls in the holding cell for 3 days at that time. There was one girl that was in there because she was subpoenaed to be a witness to her own case. She was raped, didn't want to press charges but our state's law requires them to press charges against the victim's will and because she didn't show up to be a witness she then got a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested at her home, since she was in that holding cell for 3 days she was crying cuz she knew she lost her job and her rent was due the following week. Her bail was $50,000. And no, it wasn't just her saying this, when she asked the cop why she is in there he told her, in front of all of us in the cell why she was in there. And that f****** cop had the gall to have a condescending tone saying "well you should have showed up" I used to be neutral about the whole good cop bad cop, I believe they were good cops out there I believe that the system wasn't 100% b*******. But after this, I hate the police and I have zero faith in our "justice system". This proves that people who get arrested are not criminals, even if you don't believe me, that girl was very clearly a victim in the entire situation. Fuck the Police

[@js2010ish]

Horrible to hear. And yep, people who support the system as-is are the (white) middle and upper class who can afford to never be involved with it and who are never penalized by it on "suspicion."

[@mickeymuckelrath4416]

Fuck the police. 🤬 the system breaks so much more than it fixes…if it fixes anything.

[@ashtonrucker7122]

yeah brah, it's been Fuk 12. hope everything goes well with u.

[@Zippyser]

Yikes on bikes ya'll that's some dark stuff.

[@cheveronLI]

That’s why you never call police for anything

[@polemius01]

That segment with Mr. Browder was a kick in the nuts. No one is held accountable for this man's suicide!

[@singingway]

I was in court for civil disobedience and the woman ahead of me was given 21 days for a $12 check for a pizza, her check had bounced. She was a young mother. Had to be separated from her baby . Lost her job. It was ridiculous and tragic.

[@sachadee.6104]

u n b e l i e v a b l e🤯😥

[@jengrey1]

Thank you for covering this topic. I was “out on bail” after getting an OWI after being threatened by an abusive ex, to the point where I feared for my safety, so I fled my house. Side quest: I was right to be afraid, he was the one who called the cops, and then called me to ask if I was ok, because he “saw your car go by on a flatbed”. At 11:00pm. That was in September of 2020. In March of 2021, I was arrested for “bail jumping” after a very serious “unaliving” attempt after my case had failed to move forward at all, and I could no longer deal with the anxiety/depression/isolation/fear I was living in. Why was it bail jumping? I used prescription drugs and alcohol in my attempt, which violated the stipulation set forth by the court of absolute sobriety. Imagine being arrested for trying to be de3d, but not understanding that you’ve even been arrested. I didn’t understand why I was handcuffed to the hospital bed as I was coming around. I didn’t even understand why the officer couldn’t take me home once I was released from the hospital (nor did he choose to clarify). I was then put into solitary confinement with nothing other than a turtle suit, until I had to go before a judge. I was fined for more bail money. My case didn’t conclude until the end of January 2022, at which time I was sentenced to 45 days in jail, plus 2 years of probation, court costs and fees, 16 months license revocation, and 16 months with a breathalyzer installed in my vehicle, and a DNA sample; but they would “stay” the jail time if I agreed to the 2 years of probation. I was not willing to give the courts control over my life for the next 2 years, after I’d already given them a year and a half, *with no conviction*! I had even written a letter to the judge, asking her to take a few factors into consideration: This was a dv situation, not the result of me just partying it up. I was attending a dv support group, was seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist, I was sober, and I had secured employment, none of which had been court mandated! In the end, I chose the jail time, so I wouldn’t be beholden to the courts for 2 more years, with even my mental healthcare workers thinking that I wouldn’t survive that.

[@jamaaldunbar324]

I'm sorry you had to go through all that bullshit and i hope you are doing better now. ❤🙏 i will keep you in my prayers.

[@mishaf19]

That’s horrible. By the looks of things you seem to be in a better place and I’m glad things are better. From one internet stranger to another, have a good life pal. You deserve it.

[@RogueBagel]

The first word that comes to mind is "unbelievable!" But it is sadly *very* believable. I am so sorry you had to endure all of that. I hope you're in a better place now physically and mentally, and you're moving forward in your life.

[@CRneu]

I'm so sorry you went through that and were made to feel that way. Our court system failed you, and millions of others. You, and this country, deserve so much better.

[@samuela-aegisdottir]

I am so sorry for what happened to you. US justice system is broken.

[@ladydeerheart1]

John Oliver IS the "something new" you learn every week. I always enjoy John's messages.

[@ZentaBon]

I kinda love and hate it!! It's so much of a burden to bear to fight fear and disinformation. I just want to rest, but he gives me issues that burn and need to be helped now! I'm so fucking tired of people using fear as a tool for gain. but I can't stop fighting...or we lose it all. A lot of things I hold dear already slipped between my fingers because of the stupid disinformation our politicians are allowed to use as a tactic. :/ l

[@thearchivistofold]

Khalif Browder’s story made me actually sob. It’s so heartbreaking

[@carterfamily3890]

Hearing he killed himself was a punch in the gut. So heartbreaking.

[@rabbit251]

I'm a retired attorney. In my state if a DA hasn't brought charges against you within a year the judges will automatically dismiss it. Somehow NY has missed that SCOTUS ruling.

[@CaseyBDolanYoutube]

Broke me. Absolutely shocking.... so so sorry for him and his family. Tragic.

[@bencoomer2000]

I was a bit... cruder. Even worse I pretty much knew that was coming and it still hurt.

[@tuckerfrd1]

@@rabbit251- You missed the point. Khalif had pending bailable charges against the entire 3 years he was in Rikers - justice grinds slowly. They (the DA) magically dismissed his charges, but the damage to him was irreversible. Sandra Bland lost hope in just days, not years.

[@adde9506]

Always surprised that things like this are never attacked from the "incarceration is paid for by taxes" angle. Everyone should want bail reform and jail reform. Put all that money into paying public defenders who actually read their cases before trying them.

[@shermanculbertson6244]

It never ceases to amaze me how John can inform me about some terrible problem while simultaneously making me laugh.

[@couragekarnga8735]

I kind of alternate between laughing and screaming.

[@latinobeef]

I agree. How he makes anyone laugh is always hard to phantom.

[@cillcamst2]

Too bad that people who actually need to see this probably will never see it.

[@bernie6485]

Whats funny is the black lady knows not to let her Chicago people out of jail

[@adamgajda7096]

It's called propaganda, buddy. He's feeding you opinions you take for information. Usually it's garnished with fear or anger, but laughter, and the smug feel of superiority that is his trademark, work in exactly the same way.

[@KittyKeypurr]

😭 I had to pause this and collect myself a moment. I want to say thank you. For giving that young man a voice. If it hadn't been stolen from him in the first place, perhaps he would still be here today 💔 Reform is needed. Too many people profiting off the lives...and deaths...of innocents.

[@andrewmastin4312]

“Civil liberties only apply tangibly to the privileged, and for everyone else, they are entirely theoretical.” Only too true, Mr. Oliver.

[@low_vibration]

this is why we need a revolution!

[@SecretEyeSpot]

@@low_vibration by way of ballots. Not bullets

[@matthewmalpeli]

@@SecretEyeSpot Yeah, tried that in 2008 and look where "Change You Can Believe In" led us. Electoral politics is no avenue for meaningful, positive change. It's a dumpster fire of broken dreams

[@northernepicadvenure]

Anyone else shouting at the screen saying 'They have not been convicted of a crime, so you cannot call them criminals!'

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

The part about the guy who died of suicide the night before they would have aired his story made me so freaking PISSED! How the Fffk can anyone allow having a system that can keep a person locked up for three years, and not give them a huge compensation if they can’t convict them for anything anyway?

[@glass.hammer]

13th amendment. If the purpose of this industry is absurd profit margins, they’re not gonna literally pay for their mistakes.

[@LadyDoomsinger]

I think the bigger question is, how can a system lock a person up *FOR 3 YEARS* without *being required* to convict him first?!

[@princephrog]

Absolutely. That just hit...hard.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

@@LadyDoomsinger I know some cases take a long time to investigate fully - although three years is a VERY long time. However, I know of a case, (huge tax evasion and fraud case for nearly 100 million dollars), where a person had been in custody for 25 months, but after a couple of weeks arrested and jailed again because he tried to influence witnesses in the case. I can't remember how long he ended up being jailed while the case was being investigated. But it was probably close to three years - of course the pandemic also played a role because it slowed down our court system.. But here where I live, if the prosecutor wants a person to remain in custody, they have to argue it in front of a judge several times - they don't get to keep people in custody without a judge reviewing the case every two to three months or so. And the guy in the case I mentioned could just have avoided contacting witnesses in the case, and he had been free at least up til the time for his court case, and probably a while after, as non violent, and offenders deemed less likely to commit crimes while waiting, often get to wait a while before being send to some low-security prison.

[@rgbled4778]

Regardless of this specific case, it's more sensible to house arrest non violent suspects. They have to plan each week beforehand and get surveilled by a tracking device. It actually works pretty well and is used in many EU countries (it's also used for convicts on probation). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_tagging

[@JohnVanderbeck]

Why we don't have laws enforcing political ads to be true and not deceptive is beyond me.

[@christiandauz3742]

In Ancient Persia, lying was punishable by death I wish Ancient Persia started the Industrial Revolution, not Racist White Christians

[@FractalPrism.]

politics is for professional liars.

[@petrichor259]

Amoreica iz a lend of Freidom..Can say whatever they want .My foot.

[@fearsomestm00c0w]

Because your country is not free. It belongs to a few very rich people.

[@seethlaemmert5175]

Too hard to enforce, given that those are exactly the people we are supposed to trust with making fair laws.

[@davidbouchard5451]

This is the only show I can wholeheartedly thank for depressing the shit out of me every episode, but while laughing.

[@feynmanschwingere_mc2270]

Me too, it's like you laugh and cry at the same time.

[@willybauer5496]

With a good portion of sarcasm I guess…

[@tacitus6384]

Because he's a deceptive weasel that manipulates data, discards it when it doesn't suit him, and feeds his audience bullshit on behalf of his ideology?

[@randal_gibbons]

It should anger you more than anything.

[@Anthony-ru7sk]

I just did 5 months, posted a 5,000 bail, for a crime I didn’t do. I thought the court would see the absurdity of my case. They thought I couldn’t bail out so their first offer was take 3 years and a felony. It’s crazy.

[@bunk95]

Bail is fictional.

[@angelinek_]

My heart breaks for the story about Kalief Browder. I'm not an American, but I really appreciate the effort John Oliver & his team puts into each piece to raise awareness about topics such as these.

[@oughtssought1198]

@3D Winters does invite some wondering about police conviction statistics do they not want to let go of the bail system becuz it motivates a significant % of convictions regardless of guilt not to mention the $2bil bail bonds industry how much of that gets kicked back to PD charities or whatever other route and what are the qualifications, fees, surety deposits, to be a bail bonds biz to begin with

[@oughtssought1198]

@3D Winters thx for adding "all plays a big part" ... definitely more than just what I mentioned and definitely very painful consequences per person, multiplied by what it costs friends+family multiplied by how many 1000s of cases + jail+prison expenses (prison guards paid way more than teachers) + how many other issues Mr Oliver stated in this excellent report

[@byanymeansnecessary9329]

@@oughtssought1198 that $2B is insignificant compared to the wealth lost by these people sitting in jail and even more compounded by wages lost. I lost 2 trucks full of tools because I was arrested after someone stole my identity.

[@DaddyFrosty]

@3D Winters unfortunately no one talks about the mental effects of jail or prison but the guy was destroyed, defeated. You can see from his face on the clip that the flame inside of him has been put out

[@hedgehog3180]

@@DaddyFrosty Trauma is incredibly hard to deal with, even if you get help. As someone with PTSD even though I have had access to a psychologist for a long time there have been times where I got really close myself. It's sadly not a surprise that someone who definitely did not have the means to access any treatment would not be able to survive it. It's really difficult to keep living when you know that your life was destroyed for absolutely no good reason by some random person who was just a heartless bastard for no reason.

[@hillx021hill3]

Yup. As Quark says, "Punishable by a fine means legal for a price".

[@lallajazz]

$10,000 bail for a backpack?????? 😭💔 The justice system in this country is so unjust 😞

[@Tker1970]

It wasn't the value of the backpack. It was that it was a robbery-a violent crime. I am not getting into the facts of the case-as they obviously got the wrong guy with tragic results, but that's why it was $10K.

[@thomasbes5239]

One would almost say it just is.

[@faranyk833]

This had me shedding tears

[@michaelbillings]

Remember you only have to post 10percent of bail to get out.

[@lolasonne1772]

@@michaelbillings Didn't he say you have you PAY 10% of the bail to a bail company so they cover the whole bail for you. And you won't get that money back either, no matter what the outcome in court is. So in hos case that would be 1000$ payment (!) for the family.

[@seanleitsch5980]

You are wonderful breaking it all down for your fellow Americans; who need it!!! Thank You!!!

[@MRblazedBEANS]

When I got arrested at 18 for stealing beer they some how got me confused with my dad and thought I got arrested 19 years before I was even born. They almost didn't let me go because they thought I had previous convictions till I finally explained that it's not the same name, not even close and that I wasn't even born when the crime was committed. This legal system is so broken.

[@KFA8piece]

If there was ever a job where “detail oriented” needed to be an extremely strict skill requirement, it would be any in the justice system and especially in the jail and county clerks and the DA office.

[@ZentaBon]

@@KFA8piece definitely a balance though. Some people focus too much on the trees and miss the forest. As is the issue that this video basically talks about where politicians find 4 bad examples and overblow it to represent an "issue" to garner fear and votes...at voter's expense. In other words drawing connections and ignoring historic context is a recipe for satisfying yet incorrect assessments.

[@seanaugagnon6383]

If you treat someone without humanity, you run the risk of creating a monster. Jail isn't a place where you learn how to become a productive member of society. It's a place where you learn you are not worth help or redemption. You are treated less than human. When I went to jail for drug charges the deputies would call me "asshole" like it was my first name.

[@Blewlongmun]

But the criminals don't deserve work and education, what do you think they deserve? Human rights? This is America

[@kloa4219]

@@Blewlongmun What do you think about the J6 rioters? Your opinion is different from them because think that they "overturned an election" even though it was a heated protest. All leftists want to free violent unrepentant criminals while imprisoning those who protest and oppose against them. That is because they're evil hypocrites and liars.

[@abbyappreciator2041]

We treated Darrell Brooks with humanity by not holding him to a high standard and giving him only a 1000 dollar bail even though he sexually assaulted a minor. How did that workout?

[@fisheyenomiko]

@@Blewlongmun I've heard enough people say stuff like this and mean it that I'm not sure if you're joking or not... ~_~

[@19godfather93]

100% true. Here in India, getting jailed for petty crime is the number 1 path to being a big time hardened criminal. Significant chunk of murderers, burglars and rapists have prior rap sheets of small crimes - harassment, extortion, physical assault, gambling, pimping and drug dealing. They were doing whatever it took to make ends meet, illegal activities but small time nonetheless. And then they got jailed, got recruited by big fish as foot soldiers and slowly turned to professional criminals. And a big, big part of this evolution is the treatment by the prison system and common citizenry as if they were cockroaches.

[@jaythegr33nundead8]

Rest In Peace Kalief Browder. May the “people” that did this to you burn in hell, they deserve it for putting you thru it.

[@wineckap]

Thank you so much for talking about this with such frankness and factual information. As a public defender, this means so much.

[@RochelleHasTooManyHobbies]

Thank you for all that you do. I'm sure you spend a lot of workdays with people going through the worst moments of their lives, and thus don't hear this a lot, but your work is the backbone of the judicial system. It's appreciated.

[@anlize3422]

This whole system reminds me of a certain quote: "If the penalty for a crime is a fine, that law only exists for the lower classes".

[@Auguur]

American multi-tier justice, how will it ever be fair or just?

[@kevinc8955]

A better quote would be “if the penalty for a crime is a fine, the only law you violated was being poor”.

[@curtisthomas2670]

"Murder is a crime Unless it is done by a policeman or aristocrat" _ 'Know Your Rights' by The Clash

[@TheRubendjc]

@@curtisthomas2670 i dont like that quote, it seems we need some form of power regulation in a society. But there need to be a equal power to that power. If that is broken then you got a problem. I think the problem here its theoreticly needed, but practically abused...

[@Odinsday]

There is nothing more expensive in this world than being poor

[@atlas956]

i remember being a child and asking my parents about bail after i saw it mentioned in a comic. it doesn’t exist where i live and i still remember how fundamentally weird it seemed to me. like… you literally lock people away without them being dangerous, before a trial to prove them guilty… except if they’re rich enough or have people to support them? if court can allow a rich person out of jail with no concerns, why not a poor person? i couldn’t believe that was a real law for quite some time.

[@Soff1859]

Same with so many things about the US. Political attack ads on tv? Advertising prescription drugs? The pledge of allegiance? Really?!?

[@ABiteBetterbyEva]

Same...

[@jellomiki]

The Zorro movie was the first place I heard of it, was so shocked to learn that it wasn't just a thing of the past in the US

[@julesmallow]

Same. I could see bail making more sense if it scaled to the person's wealth, as a motivator to come back to court. But even if they scaled, there's no way predatory bail bond loans should be legal. If the person was hypothetically guilty they could use a bail bond loan to get out and commit more crime, not caring about paying it back, and if the person is hypothetically innocent they might get the bail bond loan for freedom and to get their affairs in order, and be preyed upon by the unfair interest rate, making their financial situation worse.

[@ZarkowsWorld]

You may like it over here in Europe, we don't have bail -- but you can be in lockup for a year waiting for a trail with no way of getting out.

[@ehrenloudermilk1053]

I sat in jail for 5 months for sleeping in an abandoned building one winter. I was released on probation the day I finally agreed to to plead guilty to felony burglary. Also, I recently found out I had a misdemeanor warrant for my arrest from 3 years ago while getting a promotion at work. I spent 2 weeks playing phone tag with people at the court house. All to set up a court date and get it taken care of. Got the arraignment set up and shower up early. I was immediately put in jail with a bond and another scheduled court appointment. Obviously I was going to show up to it. It's all about money.

[@utterbullspit]

How is it burglary if the building is abandoned?! This country is fucked up.

[@CodeRed99911]

@@utterbullspit Not just that, but he didn't actually take anything either.

[@Zidane43]

It's very sad to hear this story man, I know these humble words is not enough to help you keep it together, but hold strong and grab heavily on your willfullness to live. Best regards for you.

[@patrioticshitstain]

@@utterbullspit It isn't. But the entire point of the plea system is to make people plead guilty to crimes they probably wouldn't be convicted of to keep the prison industrial complex churning without any pesky time-consuming annoyances like due process getting in the way. If these cases go to court, they waste everyone's time and probably don't get the conviction they wanted. But if they bully and intimidate people into pleading guilty, they can just keep convicting them at a rate higher than anywhere else in the world.

[@nybbleme]

Your lawyer was s*** then because there's no way that was anything more than a misdemeanor. If only you been in a district represented by district attorney gascon, he probably would have paid you and given you a medal for doing it..

[@w.s.soapcompany94]

In Georgia if you try to put up all the money yourself they charge you a "processing fee" that you can't get back and costs more then the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman, who was directly across the street from the jail I was in, had the same name as the sheriff 🤨

[@dr.braxygilkeycruises1460]

*Thank you, John Oliver.* I want to say more but I'm crying too hard.

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

Something tells me you have cried "Hard" while in a jail cell.

[@development_arrested]

My brother has been in jail for 30 days and hasn't even had his BAIL HEARING yet! (It's scheduled for tomorrow) it's truly insane.

[@Novashadow115]

The state can freely take your life and put it on halt anytime they feel like it, fucking gross. That shit needs to be expedited. It is entirely nonsensical to take a month of time to await court

[@privacyplease1556]

What did he do?

[@letsRegulateSociopaths]

@@privacyplease1556 more like what is it convenient for the police to think he did?

[@OhGeeGanksta]

Lol how? Should be taking place 2-3 days in.

[@Dysiode]

@@OhGeeGanksta Yes, that's literally why it's so horrific.

[@ichijofestival2576]

I honestly don't understand how it is that these people are being held for *years.* As I recall, one of things we are _supposed_ to be guaranteed is "the right to a speedy trial." How the %@#% can they justify this?

[@QueenCallisto]

When you do not have a lawyer, the prosecutor will get to your case when they feel like it. A lot of folks do not know that you get your case in front of a judge by asking your case to be heard because of due process. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Due_process

[@nobodyspecial4702]

Lawyers decided that having a client arrested, tried and executed all within a month wasn't working for them so they decided speedy can mean a couple years instead.

[@Blewlongmun]

@@nobodyspecial4702 Grouping those 3 things together seems like the problem here.

[@Runge_was_here]

If I remember correctly, speedy trial is referenced to time in court. Not time held in jail. Which is how they get around dragging out the process and keeping people jailed.

[@inthemiddle2004]

How come they dont or cant hold someone that they believed murdered their spouse but they can hold someone they think stole a backpack without enough evidence?

[@emilybutler8159]

Most important show out there. Thank you so much to the whole team.

[@leapace9480]

I'm extremely glad that someone finally mentioned the fact that most prisoners are not convicted. It's not just holding people. There are also tons of fines, house arrest, parole, forced medical care prior to even setting your court date. That can be YEARS of extremely expensive punishment before you've even been found guilty of a crime.

[@CRneu]

Here's the real kicker, if you can't pay your court fines up front they charge you for setting up a payment plan. I'm not talking about interest, but a flat fee. My flat fee was HIGHER than my fines for a traffic incident. Oh, the best part? They still sometimes charge you interest. The court system is very clearly setup to not let you out of the system. Once you're in there they have hurdle after hurdle to trip you up so you have to start all over again, usually further in debt.

[@kindlin]

What's Forced Medical Care? Sounds terrifying. We got some fucked up some shit going on in this county.

[@aveuch]

@@kindlinI'm imagining 5150s and psych evaluation

[@vincentlarocchia2184]

You are confusing jail and prison yet again. Jail is temporary holding. 45% of people in 'prison' are NOT still awaiting trial, they are convicted. The system needs to be improved for sure, and innocent people sometimes get convicted or plead guilty to avoid jail, but no one sits in jail for years waiting to be tried, not in my 31 years experience

[@hedgehog3180]

@@vincentlarocchia2184 You literally got the two terms mixed up yourself. Jail is where people are held prior to court, a prison is where convicted people go. However both people in jail and prison are referred to as "prisoners" which is why OP used that term to refer to people in jail.

[@coleprivott6140]

“Civil liberties only apply tangibly to the privileged, to everyone else they are theoretical” that’s a fire line 👏🏽👏🏽

[@kloa4219]

John Oliver wants to penalize the innocent while rewarding the guilty

[@abbyappreciator2041]

and yet Darrell Brooks got out on 1000 dollar bail for felony sexual assault on a minor. Bet you support what he did

[@nolant5791]

People charged with crimes were always walking the streets, as long as they could afford bail. Great point, and thank you so much for this program.

[@funveeable]

Now in New York and California, if you commit a violent crime like pushing people onto subway tracks or shooting 9 kids, and your skin is black, you get released in 24 hours without bail and get to do it all over again.

[@lunaballesano6410]

This show should be mandatory to watch weekly in schools.

[@nowandaround312]

It should also be mandatory to watch weekly in Congress

[@SupaSnupak00pa]

The Kaleef Browder case is even worst when you find out the full story. Come to find out, the guy who accused him had left New York just a couple of days after accusing him and never came to court. Secondly the bag he was accused of stealing never existed. When the guy who accused him was eventually found he admitted the bag never actually existed. This was just a few months after Kaleef was arrested. The city KNEW he was innocent and never bothered to try and release him. Allowed him to stay held for 3 years for no reason at all. But the guy who made a false allegation got no time or anything.

[@brunrodrigues]

From what i read, this kid was only 16, how in the hell is allowed to keep a fvk!ing 16y kid in jail for 3 years for a stolen back pack? Even if he was guilty of that all was should be done is call his parents to pay for whatever was that backpack and be done with it. And that racist prick who accused him shoul be inside forever!! With a broken system like this I can’t even imagine how many people are inside or with their credibility destroyed or DEAD because of this! RIP

[@mandielee09]

Wow that's even more maddening. God rest his soul

[@lindafoss3823]

In Australia, Lindy Chamberlain, the "a dingo took my baby" lady was released from a life sentence a mere 5 days after new evidence proved her innocence. Not that there wasn't always plenty of evidence or that the case wasn't ridiculous all along. So she was wrongly convicted, but at least they didn't waste time releasing her.

[@LMB222]

21:50 "detention hearing within three to five *days* "??? Days, not hours? Again, in the normal, developed world, the system has 48 hours to process all the documents or you're out - not free, just at home awaiting trial. It doesn't matter if it's Sunday or Xmas, 48 hours is the limit if police believe you're dangerous. And of course it isn't the police who decides if you are arrested ("go to jail"), but a judge.

[@semievilsquirrel]

That last case of the man who later committed suicide made me feel like weeping. It really feels like there is no justice for anyone.

[@mjhaskel9182]

And that's exactly how it should feel, because, unfortunately, there isn't

[@dorivimi]

His story is so sad. Look up his name. He was beaten and locked up alone for a long time. He said officers starved him... It makes me sick.

[@semievilsquirrel]

@@dorivimi that is truly heartbreaking. And he didn't even do anything to deserve any of it.

[@murlocmaster6192]

Our worlds a fantasy! Our worlds a fantasy! Our worlds a fantasy!!!

[@sonicpsycho13]

The Constitution states that we have a right to a speedy trial, but it doesn't explicitly define what "speedy" means. The justice/legal system also gets bogged down by endless bureaucracy with, dare I say, not enough bureaucrats to handle it all.

[@Myeyesburnbabyburn]

“Why are you scared if you’re not doing anything wrong?” Because you don’t have to do anything for the ones “protecting and serving” to target you if they feel like it that day.

[@cassadaga487]

So glad I found this video! I live in central IL and got one of those mailers and it scared the crap out of me! So happy to have more info and a better understanding!

[@user-li3ec9eg9i]

👆>

[@jackielaney5635]

yes I get these every day damn near it is total bullshit and wrong should not be allowed to be given to people who are vulnerable to misinformation wrong wrong wrong

[@blzrdphoto]

Normally this show gets me annoyed and just a little bit angry. This episode however has made me absolutely furious and terribly sad. I did not know how bad this was. It’s scary to think that I could not commit any crime then loose, years of my life, job, car, house, everything my family and I have. Then years later be completely exonerated but be left with absolutely nothing. How is it possible we live in a society that allows this to happen!?!?! My blood is absolutely boiling right now.

[@calholli]

It's funny how none of this bail talk applies to the Jan6 people, who nearly all of them did nothing wrong besides walk through a building; yet many of them are still not out/ no bail/ no trial. Lets not talk about that though...

[@Marijuanifornia]

@@calholli Those traitors tried to overthrow democracy and abolish the US Constitution. No one is buying your "they did nothing wrong" bullshit. Playing stupid isn't going to save you when your civil war comes. You'll lie, cheat, steal and kill to get whatever it is that you think that you want, even if you don't what that is, and then you'll lie some more. It wasn't Antifa who attacked the Capitol building. It wasn't BLM. It wasn't Marxists. It wasn't Leftists. It wasn't hippies. It was Republicans at the behest of a megalomaniacal billionaire New York elitist. You were played, and you're trying to start a civil war, thinking that you'll be some grand champion of white pride or something. You won't. Your side loses. History teaches this. The entire world will come after you. You will not have anywhere to hide. Like your glorious Fuhrer, you will off yourself in a hole in the ground to avoid being hanged for crimes against humanity. You need to stop before it's too late.

[@rabbit251]

@@calholli What a gross exaggeration of the facts!!! Anyone still locked up for a 1/6 crime is there because they did something serious! Anyone who simply "walk (sic) through a building" has heard their case heard already or they were never locked up. A gross exaggeration of our system!!!

[@LadyDoomsinger]

@@rabbit251 Calholli seems to be spamming this line in multiple comment threads - probably trying to troll us.

[@gamepapa1211]

Wanna get even angrier? This destruction of personal life only applies if you're poor. If you're rich, you can commit as many crimes as you want and all you get is a slap on the wrist. See: Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein for exhibits F and U.

[@ichimarutetsu]

I was arrested once for misdemeanor larceny( shoplifting). I had a tele bail hearing also. Less then 10min long, no previous counsel other then when I was booked the night before. If the people in line before me hadn't asked to be released on pre-trial I never would have known to ask for it too. It was a year before my actual trial date, I could've been in county jail that full year. I think it is disgusting that you don't even get to talk to your court appointed attorney before your bail hearing.

[@heyysimone]

I hate when the media makes a big huge deal out of someone committing a crime, that person is then found not to have done it or to have had anything to do with it, and there is no retraction aired for people to see to know they didnt commit said crime. Their name is then slandered with this. Its often put online as well, meaning potential employers can google your name and think "oh, they were a criminal" and not hire you

[@samuelbarber6177]

Because it sells papers and gets clicks. Who cares about the moral or ethical implications of irresponsible reporting and the very real effect it can have on the life of an innocent person, because we sold our papers.

[@chimrichalds5205]

Totally agree, I presume you're referring to the Zimmerman trial some years ago now

[@Wes-Tyler]

@@chimrichalds5205 she’s obviously not talking about the murderer George Zimmerman

[@hopefulhyena3400]

I wish my state would reform bail. My girlfriend is a defense attorney working for a non-profit (she’s essentially a public defender but with less cases) and some of the crimes her clients are held in jail with bail amounts that are just absolutely ridiculous.

[@NoMuse13]

Remember, you can be the most law abiding citizen in the world until a cop decides you aren't.

[@daveschrumpf8261]

I always laugh when people tell me, "you'll be glad the cops were there when you're the victim of a crime." Guess what? I was the victim of a crime. Our car was stolen out of our carport. We reported it to the cops. They told us it is NOT stolen, but impounded, and they give us the address. What they failed to mention is that the car had been completely torched. It was a hunk of metal delivered to an impound lot. The impound folks gave us a lovely bill for $400 in towing and impound fees. The cops refused to investigate any further and essentially made it sound like it was our fault. Thank you so much, police--you protected us so well that the "service" you provided cost us $400, left us without a vehicle (thankfully we have a second vehicle; many are not that lucky), and gave us nothing in return. Impound lots, much like bail bondsmen, work hand in glove with the cops to plunder local communities without providing anything of value. It is pure rent seeking.

[@roundearthshill248]

@@daveschrumpf8261 sounds like there's some missing info here....did you leave your car on the side of the road or something? There's no way in hell your car came up missing from your driveway and the police acted like this.

[@eugenes9751]

That's why we have a judicial system. It's not the cop that decides your innocence.

[@eugenes9751]

@@jonmancill6824 No, no, you can't tell him that, because that's called personal responsibility, and it's never their fault, it's always someone else that did that to them. These people have made their decision that all cops are bad, and therefore, when they get caught doing something illegal, it's the system's fault.

[@spoonikle]

@@jonmancill6824 Your a totally clueless person. But let me help you. Always buy a used car with cashiers checks and not cash in person. Because any amount of money over… wtv the heck the cop feels like that day is a reason to arrest you and take your money because “its suspicious” to carry cash

[@jlev1028]

Also, I never liked how being allowed a court hearing or trial before heading off to prison depends on how much money you can afford. Courtrooms are supposed to be available to everyone, no matter one's income or socioeconomic status.

[@mostmelon8243]

It’s capitalism. It’s funny how no one takes that literally. A person’s worth is measured by how much money or capital they have. How else were things supposed to turn out?

[@imnotmike]

lol, I'm sorry. What country did you think we were talking about again?

[@davidbeppler3032]

We should get rid of bail. If you are arrested you can not get out of prison until set free by a jury. Guilty until found innocent by a trial of your peers.

[@andiward7068]

Bail is only for those awaiting trial in jail. Jails have short-term convicts and those awaiting trial. Prisons have those already tried and found guilty.

[@jlev1028]

@@andiward7068 Many people, especially drug users, have been sentenced to prison for years before getting a court hearing. Your rebuttal is flat out wrong.

[@jclark2752]

I think the arguments lose their way when they forget that the Aim of Bail is to ensure the defendant RETURNS for Trial. In a time of GPS and CCTV, among many more options, the use of Money just seems archaic and biased. Why not just take a hostage as they did in the Middle Ages?!

[@tetchuma]

When Roger Stone got to go home to his penthouse, while his trial was still going on… it proves how unfair our legal system is

[@vituperation]

And, allegedly, tipped off the press to his own arrest so it could be broadcast to get Trump's attention for a pardon.

[@tugboat6940]

Then he got pardoned. Insane

[@SirNic4180]

Huh? This been happening since you people got here.

[@benrichey2593]

Steve Bannon has been convicted, again, and gets to stay home while his appeal is filed.

[@howtobe_rich]

agreed! the rich aren't subjected to the same laws and punishments like everyone else. Epstein went to jail but was then allowed to go to his mansion for business reasons

[@togaplop]

John, Have you thought about investigating how much money local TV stations make during election season? It would be interesting to see how profitable, campaign/attack adds are for media corporations, every year.

[@Ani-rq7wv]

As an autistic person, that “yes or no” judge is the type of person who is my worst nightmare. People that don’t say what they actually want and expect you to figure it out, then don’t explain what you did wrong, and then when they finally DO explain it’s as they’re punishing you and it’s already too late to do anything about it.

[@isabelc2131]

For you as an autistic person that absolutely makes sense. Everyone else should have definitely been able to see he was bitching about and she was just literally dumb enough to go into his trap. He said it twice and twice she was like '...yeahhh...'. It was all about the way she conducted herself in that setting. If you're being asked if you request a lawyer you don't say '...guess saaaa...' in the most bored way possible.

[@wnull9477]

@@isabelc2131But this is the point, this isn't stupidity, this is ignorance. If someone has no counsel, how can you punish them for failures of court decorum? That seems backwards to this American Expat

[@moogle68]

@@isabelc2131 What you're describing is called being "pedantic". It's when someone places an unreasonable amount of importance [and insists] on exact, proper grammar and verbiage despite the fact that the words/grammar that someone used were perfectly understandable as they were said. Regardless of her "intelligence" based on her not understanding what his problem was, are you really going to be the kind of person that thinks someone should literally be _charged money_ (_*$1000*_ in this case) *just* because they didn't reply with the _specific_ affirmative word that the judge wanted to hear? Even if, against all odds, you think that's fair, the other commenter's point about her not having legal counsel present make's your opinion (and the judge's) of her response in this case, moot.

[@DopeyDetector]

​@@isabelc2131classic Amerikkkan garbage

[@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong]

@@DopeyDetector hush now super spook.

[@nqobilemalaza9838]

My condolences to Kalief Browder's family... This is a people wrecking, morally bankrupt system indeed. It's hard to see the justice in reversing reforms. As enlightening as it was shocking to watch, John.

[@victorpradha9946]

They broke him and he did absolutely nothing WRONG! He saw no future for himself!

[@justinmolinari229]

It is almost like they intentionally want people in jail to profit off them… 🤔

[@andersbjrnsen7203]

yes, but jails arent privately run in the US are they? just the prisons?

[@melchioe1]

@@andersbjrnsen7203 Many jails contract out things like meal service and guard services, so there are plenty of private corporations that make money because of inmates. They contribute money to the politicians that control policies that affect how many inmates are kept.

[@andersbjrnsen7203]

@@melchioe1 ok, I see. I guess contractors might be good at running those services, but damn that is one unhealthy "loop" if it gives reason to lobbying for more use of jail.. Are bail companies usually independent or part of bigger corporations?

[@bobwho9527]

Wow. You think so, maybe? Wait until you learn about federal government payments to prisons for each prisoner they keep. No B.S. It effectively puts a bounty on every person (whether guilty or not) in the US

[@mamapetillo8675]

Yep. Lost my jobs, lost my car, fell behind in rent, lost my flat. Was just dealing with a heroin addiction. Was in a detox program. But believe me, once I finally got out, I copped straight away. Lost my ‘69 Fender twin amp. Had to sell my guitars. Ended up sinking deeply into addiction. Lost my record collection, as well as my self respect. I was just on the cusp of righting myself after getting caught up with drugs. But being stripped of anything good I still had going on, my two jobs and car, and home, most of all, I just fell into a downward spiral. This is not a good thing. Money is always the great definer, in America. And sadly, when you’re already barely keeping your head above water, the smallest thing can absolutely destroy you. It happens. And btw, I was arrested on a no bail bench warrant. They’d come by the house while I was at work on a Friday. My boyfriend told me about it when I got home. I called the precinct, asked what I ought to do. (I didn’t know what it was for). They said that they could take me in, and find out. I agreed to it. It was a bench warrant for missing court, over a DUI from 6 years earlier. I had gotten a letter from the DA’s office saying that it had been dropped. I had framed it. I couldn’t find it, the day that this happened. But I called the cops over, they took me in, and I ended up stuck with a contempt of court for missing dates from 6 years earlier. This simply ruined me. Completely. There’s really something wrong when there’s no flexibility allowed to the judges when it comes to certain things. I was no flight risk. But I didn’t have the $5,000 that they wanted. And so, I ended up losing everything. It’s simply not right.

[@iluVioletLink]

I hope you are doing better now, I am a stranger over the internet but I am cheering for you.

[@peachybuttercrunch4409]

my God! what a chain of events. systematic problems exist in america in regards to courts, in our prosecution and the exploitation of citizens. we need a legal rep, pro bono with some skill at their jobs available to the voter who was involved.

[@mamapetillo8675]

@Jim Polichak damn.

[@mamapetillo8675]

@@iluVioletLink you’re very kind! Thank you. I’m well past those years. This was ‘96. But screwed me for another 5 years. Absurd that there’s still no treatment on demand. I was happily paying out of pocket, but despite really struggling to hold down straight jobs, the drug just takes over, eventually. I’ve a 20 year old, awesome young lady, and love the life we have. Unfortunately, I’m left with some pretty horrendous health issues, but I have time, if I take good care of myself. It’s really painful to see a young person doing the route it did. It just breaks my heart. Thankfully, my daughter absolutely knows better. I’ve never lied to her about anything, cause there’s no reason she should have to learn the hard way. Take care of yourself, and those you love. Always find patience when you can. But also don’t put yourself in the way of danger. You can’t help anyone when you let yourself become dragged under with them. Peace to you 🕊️💃🏽

[@tugboat6940]

Had a $25,000 bond for second offense battery on an officer. Same officer as the first time (both times the dude tried to fight me and I beat his ass trying to defend myself. Never been arrested for anything else). I shelled out $2,500 for bail and spent $10,000 for a good lawyer and the charges were dropped because of video evidence. The first time I had a court appointed attorney who told me the video tape didn't exist so I had to take a plea. Turned out it did exist but the attorney didn't even file the paperwork to access the video. Basicly because I had to pay $12,500 for my freedom the second time. To this day I'm still labeled a violent criminal while that cop has gotten promoted to Sargent.

[@funveeable]

You beat his ass. That's what you get for not being a rag doll.

[@shooglechic]

I hope you're still around and that's terrifying that a cop thinks violence is the answer to everything that isn't initially violent.

[@tugboat6940]

@@shooglechic I had my back turned to him both times. Both times he tried to choke me but he's like 5'6 140 pounds I'm 6'3 200 and used to be an athlete. Surprised he didn't learn his lesson the first time. The second time afterwards he was saying shit like "I got you this time. You're going to the pen. Second offense if a felony. Bla bla bla." He did it with the intention of sending me to prison and if I would've gone with a court appointed attorney again that's exactly where I would've gone. I have a masters degree but can't get a decent job because I'm a violent criminal on paper. In real like I'm the chillest dude you'd ever meet.

[@shannonstradford6518]

That is horrifying… I hope you stay safe.. it doesn’t sound good … I hope you don’t live in the same town

[@RH-jb2oy]

Thank you John Oliver. Thank you and your staff. Truth is everything.

[@mihaimoldo]

It never cease to amaze me the infinite capacity of the American systems to profit from misery .

[@Hunter-jj9bo]

How about the psychological impact of the victims of Darryl Brooks and their families? Released on no cash bail after violently assaulting his girlfriend before he mowed down and murdered 8 people including a child.

[@StudioNama]

Well, we were built on it, so...

[@Onigirli]

Hoping you're saying this as an American yourself, and not some outsider trying to make themself feel better about their own country 😅

[@mihaimoldo]

@@Onigirli I'm not an American . Though US always fascinates me.

[@stryfespoint304]

The only ones crying about any/all changes to the system are those who've enjoyed making money off the misery of others and that last minute heartbreak of the falsely accused young man was the icing of a very powerful episode.

[@patrick9440]

A Buffalo man who allegedly stole a fire truck while first responders were at a call on Main Street late Thursday night was arraigned on numerous felony and misdemeanor charges, the District Attorney’s Office announced. Fire commissioner Bill Renaldo was unsure how long the truck was unattended, though the air brakes were engaged, he said, making it difficult to drive away. The truck was later found near Delaware Avenue and Allen Street, roughly a mile away. In fact, Renaldo said, someone who was inside the bar Colter Bay used a fire extinguisher on the truck because it had become smoky, possible because the air brakes were engaged. Renaldo said the thief hit two parked cars during his joy ride. The engine should be back in service soon. Yassin A. Abdikadir, 25, was charged in the case. He faces one count of fourth-degree grand larceny and one count of criminal possession of stolen property, both of which are felonies. Misdemeanor changes include obstructing emergency medical services, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The DA’s office said Abdikadir was also charged for a second crime that occurred the night before. They allege he entered an Ellicott Street restaurant at 2:29 a.m. Thursday, broke into a storage cabinet and stole approximately 50 bottles of alcohol. This incident landed him two additional felony charges for burglary and grand larceny, as well as misdemneor criminal mischief charge. Abdikadir is scheduled to return on both cases at at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26. The DA’s office said he was released on his own recognizance because the charges are non-qualifying offenses for bail.

[@caseyjarmes]

That judge who raised bail 2k because the girl said “yeah” deserves to be sent to prison for the rest of his life.

[@DemonLordSparda]

I'd rather be around her than that judge. He seems far more dangerous.

[@jaidenthekid6051]

Literal power tripping tyrant.

[@CaptainDoomsday]

Just give him a bail and double it every time you don't like him. Which is continuously, because he's like that.

[@ghodkiller0000]

A judge asks you 3 times to say the one of the words "yes" or "no" and you stupidly defy him with "yeah", what do you think it's gonna happen ? Are americans that stupid ?

[@lukeyarasheski5510]

He was removed from the bench for "a pattern of musconduct." He got his

[@TikkiNikki]

John always posting without unnecessary ads every few minutes. The true ViP of KZbin 👊