Woman Sues Mayor/Bondsman in Son’s Death

Deborah Ray may have lost her son, but she’s not about to give up this fight. Ray is suing Robert Smith, the mayor of Columbus, Mississippi and her deceased son’s bondsman, for the death of her son, Justin Smith.  Justin Smith was unarmed on January 31, 2008, when he was shot and killed by two officers. Ray claims that Mayor Smith, having a financial interest in her son’s arrest, overlooked police officers’ violations of constituents’ rights. Read the full story here.  Read More →

NC Officials Investigate Bail Kickback Claims

Several Johnston County, North Carolina bail agents filed a complaint that asserts bail agent David Marshburn is incentivizing jailers to recommend his services to those in prison. The complaint alleges that jailers are getting up to 1% of bonds they refer to Marshburn. While Marshburn was not aware of the complaint, his lawyer mentioned that the complaintants may be jealous of Marshburn’s success. State investigators are looking into the matter. For more information, read the complete story here.  Read More →

Show Your Customers You Care

According to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Justice, 67.5% of released prisoners will be rearrested within three years of being released from prison. While the rest of the world may call people with multiple arrests repeat offenders, in the bail world those people are called returning customers. While no one may wish multiple arrests on anyone, the fact is the recidivism rate in the U.S. is so high that there is the possibility for two out of every three clients to be needing your services again. The easiest business to land... Read more

Man Granted Bail After 26 Years of Imprisonment

Bruce Lisker had already served 26 years of a life sentence for beating and stabbing his mother in March of 1983 when he heard what was probably the best news of his life. U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips overturned the conviction last week and has since ruled that Lisker is eligible for bail. According to Judge Phillips, Lisker, seventeen at the time of his conviction, was a victim of poor defense work and a tainted trial. Read the rest of the article here.  Read More →

Safety Comes First in the Bail Industry

Safety first is the most important rule of thumb in the bail industry.  Yet despite the best-laid plans, those in the bail industry may find themselves in situations where their safety could be jeopardized.  For bail agents and fugitive recovery agents, safety can take the form of reasoning, martial arts or use of weapons. Many of the defense mechanisms bail agents or fugitive recovery agents choose to use are largely based on personality, experience and intuition.  When individuals were polled in the AboutBail.com Yahoo! Group regarding the... Read more

PBUS “All Hands on Deck!” Alert

PBUS President Linda Braswell has announced the creation of the PBUS J.A.I.L. Summit, co-chaired by Armando Roche and Debbie Jallad, as a response to the NACo-PJI initiative to evaluate all county jails and, in essence, recommend pre-trial services at each of them (click here to read the NACo-PJI recommendations for Mecklenburg County, NC). The Summit will take place at the beginning of September in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area. Industry leaders will be invited to take part in this summit and distinguish how to engage PBUS members, bail agents,... Read more

WA Bondsman Accused of Theft

Ryan Holmes, owner of Holmes Brothers Bail Bonds in Spokane, Washington, was accused of theft stemming from a June 22 incident. Holmes is accused of forcing an indemnitor, Robert Shawen, to pay $6,000 for a forfeited bond after police officers arrested his friend he had bailed out of jail. Holmes then filed a report claiming to have arrested the fugitive with the help of authorities and was refunded the full amount of the bond. Holmes’ bail license is currently suspended.  Read More →

PBT Advanced Bail Bond Course

The Professional Bondsmen of Texas will be holding their 3rd Quarterly Membership Meeting at the Radisson Fossil Creek in Fort Worth, Texas.  The Committee Meetings and Board Meetings will be held August 6th, the 3rd Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held August 7th, and the Advanced Bail Bond Course will be held August 7th through August 9th. For more information, visit the PBT website.  Read More →

PBT 3rd Quarterly Meeting

The Professional Bondsmen of Texas will be holding their 3rd Quarterly Membership Meeting at the Radisson Fossil Creek in Fort Worth, Texas.  The Committee Meetings and Board Meetings will be held August 6th, the 3rd Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held August 7th, and the Advanced Bail Bond Course will be held August 7th through August 9th. For more information, visit the PBT website.  Read More →

Fugitive Shot by Bounty Hunter in CA

A man wanted for skipping bail related to a DUI arrest was shot and wounded by one of three recovery agents trying to capture him. When the agents went to recapture the suspect, a fight broke out. During the fight, the suspect allegedly grabbed an agent’s gun, causing another agent to fire on the suspect. The suspect was shot in the leg during the ordeal and is currently in stable condition.  Read More →

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