WOODLAND, Calif. — During a bail review hearing in Yolo County Superior Court before Judge David Rosenberg, proceedings focused on whether the accused should remain detained on $50,000 bail, despite defense arguments that the alleged conduct amounted to “misdemeanor-level” behavior and did not justify continued custody.
Deputy Public Defender Kumar Sankara began by emphasizing that although the accused faced an alleged second-degree robbery charge, the incident was “not as serious” as many robbery cases typically seen in court. According to Sankara, the accused entered Nugget Market and was followed by store security because employees believed he may have stolen from the store in the past, despite never previously being arrested or detained there for theft-related conduct.
Sankara explained that store employees allegedly observed the accused placing candy into his pockets before exiting the store without paying. As the accused left the store, security personnel confronted him and instructed him to return the property. When he denied taking anything, employees physically grabbed him and attempted to handcuff him.
During the struggle, the accused was reportedly heard saying, “You can have the items back.” Sankara also stressed that although the accused resisted being detained, he never attempted to strike or injure anyone during the encounter. Employees eventually handcuffed him and brought him to the store’s security office, where police later arrived and formally detained him.
Sankara further argued it was unfair for the prosecution to point out that the accused never removed the merchandise from his pockets while being restrained, noting he had been physically pinned to the ground at the time. According to Sankara, the accused later told police he had attempted to return the items and had forgotten to pay for them.
Throughout the hearing, DPD Sankara repeatedly argued there was insufficient evidence to support a felony robbery charge. He also informed the court that the defense had contacted the accused’s former significant other, who stated the accused could stay with her as long as she remained at the residence.
The hearing then shifted toward the accused’s financial circumstances and ability to pay the original $50,000 bail amount. Sankara clarified that although probation records reflected the accused expected to earn approximately $22 an hour, the anticipated employment never officially started.
DPD Sankara stated the accused had no meaningful assets, no trust fund or financial support, and lacked the ability to afford either the original bail amount or a bail bond.
The defense also argued that most of the accused’s criminal history consisted of misdemeanors, aside from a 2013 drug possession offense that predated Proposition 47 and would likely be classified as a misdemeanor today. DPD Sankara acknowledged that the accused had a pending stolen vehicle case in Sacramento County and had recently been released on GPS monitoring in that matter before being placed on hold in the current case.
Still, the defense maintained that California law permits detention only under limited circumstances and argued those standards were not met because the accused did not present a threat of bodily harm or violence toward others.
Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Allen argued that the facts were “not as minimal” as the defense portrayed them. She pointed to the accused’s pending stolen vehicle matter, recent GPS release status, prior drug-related offenses and a 2022 DUI as concerning factors, though she acknowledged the current conduct itself was “misdemeanor-level.”
Allen also argued that additional evidence regarding the accused’s financial circumstances was necessary before the court could properly assess bail affordability, noting the accused had previously reported working full time making $22 an hour.
Sankara responded that the issue had already been clarified and reiterated that the employment opportunity never officially began.
Despite the prosecution’s assertions, Judge Rosenberg ultimately ruled that the original $50,000 bail amount would not remain in place and released the accused on OR, instructing him to report back to probation within 24 hours.
The matter was continued to May 19 at 9 a.m. in Department 8.
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