WOODLAND, Calif. — Yolo County Superior Court Judge Danette C. Brown on Wednesday ordered the supervised own recognizance (SOR) release of an unhoused accused from pretrial detention over objections from the prosecution and probation, after the defense argued the case reflected the criminalization of homelessness and poverty.
The accused was arraigned on two felony counts of possession of hard drugs with two prior convictions and mandated treatment, three misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia used to inject or smoke, and one misdemeanor count of camping on private property, along with enhancements for circumstances in aggravation.
Deputy Public Defender Stephen Betz was appointed to represent the accused, entering not guilty pleas on all charges and denying all enhancements.
In seeking the accused’s immediate release, DPD Betz requested that the court utilize the “least restrictive alternatives,” arguing that release was appropriate given the nonviolent nature of the charges. Defense counsel added that the accused was willing and able to check in with probation and strictly adhere to all terms of release.
Deputy Public Defender Betz addressed the courtroom, explicitly challenging the nature of the prosecution’s case as a criminalization of homelessness and poverty. “These are status crimes for being unhoused, I mean let’s call it what it is,” Betz said.
Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Palumbo argued against the unmonitored release of the accused, countering that “the issue with [the accused] is that he doesn’t come to court. So we need to solve that.”
In response, DPD Betz assured the court that the accused could successfully check in with probation and actively utilize available transportation resources to ensure future court appearances, signaling a willingness to comply.
Probation Officer Michael Morgan intervened to emphasize that the accused has a history of failing to check in with parole and a record of repeated offending.
However, Mr. Betz maintained the request for release, reminding the court of the nature of the allegations and the precedent for handling such cases. “I believe we start with the assumption that it is only in rare cases that someone should be detained, and this is not a rare case.”
Following the defense’s request, Judge Brown ultimately ruled that the accused be placed on SOR under the conditions that the accused be subject to searches and testing for controlled substances and report to Woodland Probation on June 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. following release.
The arguments raised during the arraignment underscored growing concerns about how courts handle unhoused individuals charged with nonviolent offenses. The court’s decision to grant release reflected the statutory presumption of pretrial liberty unless public safety risks are established.
The matter is set for a pre-hearing conference on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Department 7 of Yolo County Superior Court, with the accused ordered to appear in person.
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