Impact of the Courts on Jail Overcrowding

Friday, September 29, 2006

9/29/2006 -- Unless a defendant takes a plea, or charges are dropped, a case going through the Fresno County court system can take months or even years. Now, with the impending inmate release, Fresno County attorneys are bracing themselves for an overload.

Tim Schuster's body was found in a barrel of acid back in 2003. His wife, Larissa and her co-defendant, James Fagone, have yet to be tried for the crime. The trial has been postponed numerous times, most recently after Fagone withdrew his right to a speedy trial and Schuster's request for a change of venue. Continuances are an ongoing problem in Fresno County and now with the likely release of jail inmates, some say it could get worse.

Tony Capozzi, ABC 30 Legal Analyst, said, "The bottleneck at the jail is directly related to the court system and in not having enough judges, not enough DA's and public defenders to handle these cases."

Public Defender George Cajija says his attorneys are already overwhelmed with cases. He says some felony lawyers are responsible for 400+ cases each year. Cajija says he needs help and is asking the board of supervisors for nine additional attorneys and two investigators. "You have cases continued unnecessarily because you don't have the right staffing that you need in order to move the case along."

Fresno County has been struggling with a backed up court system for years. Even before the inmate release was announced, judges have been working on a new plan.

Beginning in February, felony criminal cases will be streamlined. The same judge will be handling a case from arraignment to trial's end. Judge Gary Hoff believes the plan will result in resolving cases sooner and will help relieve jail overcrowding. He says, "The new system, with fewer hearings in the life of any given case, should reduce the number of days any particular inmate is in a jail bed."

The Board of Supervisors is expected to announce in October whether Fresno County will be able to fund additional District Attorneys and Public Defenders.

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