SAN DIEGO — A San Diego judge on Monday upheld $50,000 bail for a man accused of failing to appear at his arraignment, despite defense arguments that the absence stemmed from a misunderstanding.
On Aug. 25, 2025, the man appeared in custody as he faced the court over his failure to appear on Dec. 12, 2024. Although present at the courthouse that day, he missed the hearing after leaving under the belief that his name had not been called. Deputy Public Defender Kevin Haughton requested that the man’s supervised own recognizance release be reinstated, citing the confusion surrounding the missed appearance.
The Deputy District Attorney opposed the request, arguing that the failure to appear demonstrated a disregard for court orders and justified keeping bail in place at $50,000. The prosecution emphasized that the man’s conduct reflected an unwillingness to comply with the judicial process.
The DDA also noted that the man had been notified on Dec. 20 and Dec. 23 of both the failure to appear and the subsequent warrant, yet took no action to remedy the situation. The court considered the man’s open cases in Arizona and ties to the neighboring state, which the judge said increased his risk of flight.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court ruled there was sufficient evidence to sustain a guilty verdict in the initial case should it go to trial. The judge determined that releasing the man on supervised own recognizance was not appropriate and would put the public at risk.
Concluding that no less restrictive option would reasonably assure the man’s appearance in court or the public’s health and safety, Judge Oliver ordered that the $50,000 bail remain in effect.
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