Governor signs law making it harder for violent criminals to quickly bond out

CHARLOTTE — A bill that changes the way bond is issued for certain offenders has been signed into law.

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House Bill 813, which is also known as the Pretrial Integrity Act, was signed into law Friday by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. It’s intended to prevent violent suspects from being released hours after being arrested.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings celebrated the news, saying he had “worked diligently alongside local and state partners to ensure more accountability in the criminal justice system and pretrial release.”

“The entire intent is to ensure that we keep our community safe,” Jennings said on Friday.

The law goes into effect on Oct. 1.

Jennings said the law will make sure the most violent criminals aren’t released before they see a judge. He’s been outspoken about North Carolina’s bond process, complaining that judicial officials have too much discretion. He once pointed to the case of Toddrick McFadden, who allegedly shot a CMPD officer last year in NoDa -- he was given a $170,000 bond and only had to pay 10% to get out of jail.

“Now I may be missing something, but your lives are worth a lot more than $17,000 to let someone back out on the streets,” Jennings said at the time.

Jennings has said the Pretrial Integrity Act holds judges accountable by the people who voted for them, unlike magistrates.

When someone gets arrested, they’re sent to the county jail, where they first see a magistrate. No matter the crime, that magistrate sets an initial bond to be released from jail before trial. Some, including Jennings, have argued that the bonds have been too low for some crimes, allowing some criminal suspects to get out quickly.

Jennings, along with Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and Chief District Court Judge Elizabeth Trosch, helped create the new law. On Friday, Jennings called it a step in the right direction.

“It’s all about accountability on who is setting the bonds,” he said.

‘It’s a nice start’

In 2020, Mary Collins, who was 20 years old, was found brutally murdered in a NoDa apartment.

Police said she had been stabbed more than 130 times.

“They wrapped Mary in plastic and put her in a mattress,” said her grandmother, Mia Alderman, who has been pushing for justice.

Alderman was slightly encouraged by the Pretrial Integrity Act that Cooper signed into law.

Alderman said she lobbied the new law’s sponsor, Rep. John Bradford, R-Meck.

“And I’ll tell you what I told him, ‘It’s a nice start,’” she said.

Four people were charged with Collin’s murder.

Two of them, America Diehl and James Salerno, have bonded out of jail.

“How would you feel knowing that these people are just walking the streets,” Alderman said.

Starting Oct. 1, it’s up to a judge to decide the conditions for bail, if eligible, for the following charges:

• First or second-degree murder.
• Attempted murder.
• First or second-degree kidnapping.
• First or second-degree rape.
• First or second-degree sexual offense.
• First-degree statutory rape.
• Statutory rape of or sexual offense against a child by an adult.
• Statutory rape of or sexual offense against a person who is 15 years of age or younger.
• Human trafficking.
• Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
• Discharging a firearm or barreled weapon into occupied property or any other conveyance while the property or conveyance is occupied.
• First-degree burglary.
• First-degree arson.
• Robbery with a dangerous weapon.

“They did leave one out,” Alderman said. “A significant one. They left out accessory to murder.”

She thinks there’s still more room to crack down on bonds for violent criminal suspects.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘Unacceptable’: Man accused in NoDa woman’s brutal stabbing death bonds out of jail)

‘Unacceptable’: Man accused in NoDa woman’s brutal stabbing death bonds out of jail

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