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VOL. 43 | NO. 13 | Friday, March 29, 2019
Supreme Court won't consider Georgia city's cash bail policy
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on whether a Georgia city's practice of jailing people accused of low-level crimes who can't afford to pay bail is constitutional.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta in August upheld Calhoun's policy of jailing people for up to 48 hours before a judge rules whether they can't afford bail.
The Southern Center for Human Rights sued on behalf of Maurice Walker, who was charged with walking while intoxicated and arrested in September 2015. He couldn't pay a preset $160 bail and spent six days in jail.
The city revised its policy after the lawsuit was filed. The appeals court upheld the revised policy.
The high court on Monday declined to hear Walker's appeal, meaning the 11th Circuit decision stands.