By Leslie Acevedo
MODESTO, CA – Stanislaus County Superior Judge Dawna Reeves this week refused to reduce the $150,000 bail for an accused—who said they had to deal with surgery for their daughter—because of what the judge called “escalating” criminality.
Alternate Defender Rachel Elizabeth Bills said the accused needed to be with a daughter who had a significant medical issue and surgery March 3.
The accused was being arraigned on three felony cases. Bills, on behalf of the accused, entered not guilty pleas to all three felony cases.
Bills added the accused has “relatively few expenses, as [the accused] was living with a significant other, who was able to provide housing,” promising the accused would remain local and not flee the jurisdiction.
Bills explained the accused has a daughter “with a significant medical issue who is having surgery on March 3,” and the accused would like to post some kind of bail, to be present with her daughter.
Bills asked if the court would be willing to reduce the $150,000 from that one case to $100,000.
Deputy District Attorney M. Garcia opposed any sort of reduction, believing the accused is “a danger to the public,” and has a long criminal history stemming from 1997.
Bills noted the criminal history of theft-related offenses was “child conviction is a misdemeanor from 2014,” and allegedly no weapon was used in the robbery.
Judge Reeves decided the accused has “too many cases before the court and it looks to me criminality is escalating, things seem to be worse.”
The new court date is April 3.
