Changes in bail practices to be discussed today

Following the police officer shootings in Lakewood last year, Rep. Troy Kelley, passed legislation to end the practice of booking bail (which allowed Maurice Clemmons, the man who killed the Lakewood officers, to post bail without ever seeing a judge). Kelley also passed an amendment to our state constitution intended to provide judges more flexibility in denying bail. In November, voters will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment which allows judges the right to deny bail to suspects who are charged with a crime punishable by the possibility of life in prison.

A new Bail Practices Work Group will oversee some of these changes in how bail is set. The work group is meeting for the first time this morning in SeaTac.