Most people find it hard to believe an individual accused of murder in California can secure a bail release. However, state law allows a murder defendant to be set free from custody pending the resolution of their murder case. Even if there is irrefutable evidence against the accused, they can still post bail provided the judge believes the defendant is not highly likely to flee the country. The primary difference between murder and other offenses when it comes to bail is that the bail amount for murder is usually very high, making it unaffordable in most cases.
However, a bail bonds company can be useful in these situations. Regardless of how high the bail amount is, a bail bond company can help with posting a bond for only a small fee. If you have been charged with murder in Los Angeles and need help posting bail, we at Bail Bonds Company can rescue you.
Our murder bail bonds service is honest, confidential, and affordable. We have flexible payment plans and various payment options tailored to your needs. Call us, and we will start working on regaining your freedom right away.
An Overview of Bail For Murder Charges
Bail refers to a system that allows an accused to post a specified amount of money with a jail facility or court to secure their release from custody until their trial date. As a condition of continuing to stay out of jail, the accused must promise to attend all court proceedings and hearings concerning the case against them.
Apart from making court appearances, there may be additional conditions to the defendant's release. If the defendant fails to obey the conditions for their release, they will be rearrested and returned to custody. They will then remain in custody until their case is resolved.
In California homicide, murder, or manslaughter cases, bail is usually not always guaranteed. The judge may deny bail even though the bail amounts for these cases are included in the county bail schedules.
For severe crimes such as manslaughter and murder, the judge must often hold a bail hearing during which they use their discretion to decide whether to set bail and the appropriate bail amount or deny bail altogether if they see it is appropriate to the case. When setting bail, the law requires California judges to impose the amounts of bail listed in county bail schedules, although they can set a lower bail than is outlined in the schedule.
The crime often known as "murder" describes a violation of various penal codes and statutes and goes by different names within the legal community. Some of the criminal offenses called "murder" include:
- PC 192a, voluntary manslaughter.
- 192b PC, involuntary manslaughter.
- VC 192c, vehicular manslaughter.
- VC 191.5, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
- DUI murder/Watson murder.
- PC 192.5, vehicular manslaughter operating a vessel.
- 187 PC, murder.
Bail Amounts in Murder Cases
As mentioned, the term "murder" refers to various crimes, and each crime has its own assigned bail amount. Sometimes an accused can be prosecuted under more than one law in relation to murder, based on the facts of the case. The following are bail values for charges related to murder per the Los Angeles bail schedule (note that the amounts may vary across counties as each county has its own bail schedule):
- PC 187, murder— two million dollars.
- PC 191.5a, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated— $100,000.
- PC Code 191.5b, ordinary vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated— $50,000.
- PC 192a, voluntary manslaughter— $100,000.
- PC 192b, involuntary manslaughter— $25,000.
- 192(c)(1) PC, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence— 50,000 dollars.
- PC 192(c)(2), vehicular manslaughter with ordinary negligence— $25,000.
- 192(c)(3) PC, vehicular manslaughter for financial gain— $100,000.
- DUI murder/Watson murder— two million dollars.
- The criminal offense of murder with special circumstances (capital murder) is not bailable.
- 5(a) PC, vehicular manslaughter operating a vessel while intoxicated and with gross negligence— 100,000 dollars.
- PC 192.5(b), vehicular manslaughter operating a vessel while intoxicated and with ordinary negligence— 50,000 dollars.
- PC 192.5(c), vehicular manslaughter operating a vessel with gross negligence— $50,000.
If the judge sets the bail amount, the accused can deposit the full amount with the jail facility or court to secure their release or seek help from a bail bonds company to help them post a murder bail bond. Another way an accused can make bail for murder is by posting a valuable property with the jail facility or court. However, the property value must be twice the bail amount the judge set.
Whichever way an accused posts bail, the court will return the money or property posted as bail to the party that posted it once the case is resolved and the accused has made all court appearances. If the accused does not appear in court as required, the money/property posted will be forfeited. In the case of a property bond, the court will sell the property to recover the bail money.
Bail for murder-related charges can be extremely high. It is often higher than what a single person can raise, even with family members and friends willing to chip in. Additionally, the court will hold onto the money until the case is concluded, which could be over a year later. Once the case is resolved, the court may take more time to return the money to the accused.
That said, most people charged with murder-related crimes do not have the money to post the full bail value. When faced with this situation, the preferable option is to seek assistance from a bail bonds agent.
How Murder Bail Bonds Works
When a defendant approaches a bail bond company to help them post a murder bail bond, a bail agent agrees to pay the defendant's set bail amount. In exchange, the accused must agree to make court appearances as required and comply with other conditions of their pretrial release imposed by the court. If the accused does not obey the imposed conditions or fails to make the required court appearances, the bail agent will forfeit the bail they posted. The bail agent can assist in locating the accused and returning them to jail.
Additionally, before the bail agent posts a bond, they will require the accused to pay a non-refundable fee known as the premium. The fee is generally 10 percent of the entire bail amount, and it is not refundable since it is the bail agent's charge for their services. Some bail companies also request collateral in addition to the premium. They will sell this collateral and recover their bond money if the accused fails to make the required court appearances.
Still, other bail bond companies charge other fees such as travel expenses, notary charges, annual premiums, posting fees, processing fees, interest on financing, and late filing premiums. Before you hire a bail agent to help you post a murder bond, inquire if the company they work for charges extra fees in addition to the 10% premium. Also, ask them if they request collateral.
What If An Accused Cannot Afford Bail
If a defendant cannot or does not want to make bail after they have been accused of murder, they will be mandated to remain in custody until the resolution of their case. The judge may release the accused on their own recognizance (OR) release, although this will be at their discretion. But this rarely happens with murder-related charges.
As mentioned above, an accused can use a bail agent's services to post a murder bail bond at a percentage of the total bail amount if they cannot afford to pay it out of their own pockets. California law dictates that every bail bonds agency charges 10 percent of the set bail amount to post a bond for an accused. That means if the judge sets the bail value at $500,000, the bail agent should charge 50,000 dollars to post bail for the accused.
Whereas 50,000 dollars might still seem significant, it is much less than paying the full bail amount. The premium rates the California statute requires for immigration and federal bonds range between 15 and 20%, which is much higher than murder bail bonds. However, the law stipulates all these rates, and all bond agencies must charge the same stated amount.
The California bail statute allows bond companies to offer murder bail bonds at discounted rates if the accused pays the full premium within seventy-two hours and hires a private lawyer. Discounted rates are permitted for military members, AARP members, teachers, and government union employees.
Contact Reliable Murder Bail Bonds Services Near Me
If you have been charged with a murder-related offense in Los Angeles, CA, and the judge has agreed to bail, we at Bail Bonds Company can help you secure a surety bond. We understand that bail for murder crimes can be very expensive, and we are here to take the financial burden off your shoulders. Our bail agents are available 24/7 and will assist you with the bail bond process, ensuring you will not remain in custody pending your trial. Call us at 323-579-1415, and we will attend to you right away.
