BURLINGTON, VT – Judge David R. Fenster here in an arraignment hearing Wednesday in Chittenden County Costello Court issued an arrest warrant and set bail for $200 on a failure to appear for an accused, despite the accused experiencing homelessness.
The accused is facing three misdemeanor charges, one for petit larceny under $900 and two for credit card fraud over $50.
After it was determined that the accused was not appearing for their arraignment, public defender David Hindman opened with, “I know for a fact” that the accused is unhoused and struggling to find a stable living situation, asking the court for a daytime warrant on the accused to “account for the struggles (the accused) already has.”
Judge Fenster ruled, “while the court is sympathetic” to the accused’s living situation, but “given the number of failures to appear” an arrest warrant with a bail of $200 is appropriate given the accused’s previous infractions.
Judge Fenster listed the multiple instances of failures to appear while still expressing sympathy toward the accused’s living situation.
