By State Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis)
Hoosiers are fed up hearing the same story over and over. An innocent life is taken due to the heinous act of a repeat violent offender who is out of jail on bail. More than 30 states have laws to prevent innocent people from being harmed by this revolving door of crime, but Indiana does not. In our state, bail can only be withheld from a suspect if the evidence indicates an offender committed murder or treason, which allows some of Indiana's worst criminals to return to the very communities they maliciously harmed.
For the past three years, Republicans and Democrats worked together and overwhelmingly supported an amendment to our state's constitution to give judges the ability to withhold bail from violent offenders to halt the revolving door of crime. Now, Hoosiers have the chance to weigh in. This fall, Hoosiers will have the opportunity to cement this amendment in Indiana's Constitution and allow judges to withhold bail from a suspect if another release option would fail to ensure the safety of a person or the community.
If Hoosiers approve Public Question 1 during the upcoming general election, judges will be able to withhold bail if prosecutors prove to a judge that the suspect poses a risk to a person or the community, other release conditions do not ensure safety and the evidence against the suspect is strong enough to presume guilt.
It is also important to note that a suspect's rights are not thrown out the window. This year, I authored Senate Enrolled Act 2, which ensures a suspect has the right to a speedy bail trial, an attorney, a written bail determination from the judge and an opportunity to appeal the bail decision.
This November, Indiana has the opportunity to join over half of the nation in allowing judges to deny bail from the worst of the worst and end the revolving door of crime that continues to put Hoosiers, their children and communities at risk.
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State Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis) represents Senate District 32,
which includes portions of Johnson and Marion counties.
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