LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. — In Judge Keith L. Schwartz’s courtroom Tuesday, a hearing was held for three co-accused individuals charged in a planned home burglary. Each was given a different bail amount, initially: $100,000, $125,000, and $1.1 million. The judge determined the bail amounts were fair based on the evidence presented.
One of the accused, the getaway driver with only one prior conviction, received a higher bail than one of his co-conspirators—both of the latter having more serious criminal histories.
According to the hearing, the trio did not consider that the homeowners would be present during the attempted burglary. As two of the individuals entered the backyard, they were confronted by the residents, who alerted law enforcement.
Testimony revealed the trio fled, initiating a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, officers and aerial surveillance observed the suspects discarding burglary tools along the freeway.
When apprehended, officers searched the vehicle and found replacement license plates, crowbars, and masks. Additional tools, including pillowcases and mechanical equipment, were recovered from the freeway.
The first accused, who entered the backyard, is a third-strike offender with prior convictions in 2020 and 2024. His bail was initially set at $1.1 million.
The second accused, who followed behind, has a 2009 murder conviction and an outstanding warrant. His bail was set at $100,000.
The getaway driver, a Santa Monica Community College student pursuing a business degree, sustained a prior injury that left him with a metal rod in his leg. Despite having only one prior conviction, his bail was set at $125,000.
Defense attorneys for the first two accused requested reduced bail, while the defense for the getaway driver argued for release so he could continue his education and receive medical treatment.
Judge Schwartz ruled the trio posed a public safety threat and formally reprimanded them. However, he reduced each of their bail amounts: the first accused to $1 million, the second to $50,000, and the getaway driver to $100,000, along with a medical order for pain treatment.
