NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Violent crime is down across Davidson County this year, but frustration is building within the criminal justice system over bond decisions that may be putting the community at risk.
The issue centers on how much money someone must pay to get out of jail after being arrested. What might surprise many is that there are no hard guidelines for bond amounts, and judges setting those bonds can only see a person's criminal history within Davidson County.
This blind spot has led to dangerous situations where violent offenders are released on bond, only to commit more serious crimes while awaiting trial.
In Davidson County's Magistrate Court, where the judicial process begins, Judge John Manson typically spends about 15 minutes determining someone’s bond. At issue, the risk to public safety, their presumption of innocence and the likelihood the person will return to court. But Manson acknowledges a significant problem: he cannot see what defendants have done outside Davidson County.
"It is a big problem," Manson said.
For years now, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake has intentionally highlighted cases where people reoffend while out on bond.
"I was being asked a question about people that were committing crimes. What are you doing about crime? And my position and our position in the police department, we're doing our job. We're catching these people, sometimes very violent people. And we're making the arrests and then they get released," Drake said.
Recent examples include Jamien Taylor, who was released on a $3,000 bond in April 2024 on assault and false imprisonment charges, only to be re-arrested three days later for the attempted kidnapping of a 15-year-old on her way to school.
Adrian Cameron was arrested for shooting and killing a man while out on bond for another murder charge. And Adrees Bumphus was arrested in March on a gun charge while on bond for attempted murder.
Judge Jim Todd, who has worked behind the scenes for years to address this problem, said change has been slow.
"We're all frustrated," Todd said.
"Change takes time, it takes money, it takes organization, it takes a lot of different people working together. And it's easier said than done," Todd said.
With the passing of this year's Metro Budget, the council allocated just over $670,000 to hire six new administrative positions. These staff members will access the National Crime Information Center, an FBI database, and relay someone's full criminal history to magistrate judges before bond is set.
"And that's just information that I need to have, so that when I'm setting a bond, I can say, oh no, not only are you dangerous here, but you're dangerous elsewhere," Manson said.
Presiding General Sessions Court Judge Robin Hayes will oversee the new program with each position paying $75,000.
"Balancing someone's innocence against public safety, we want to make sure that we have all the information so that we can do this appropriately. And I believe these positions are going to be a game changer," Hayes said.
Why the complicated solution?
The FBI has strict rules about who can access the National Crime Information Center database and how. For example, it must be behind two locked doors and computers cannot face windows. In addition, magistrate judges cannot use the database because they oversee civil litigation issues as well as criminal. The police department and sheriff's office, which have NCIC access, declined to supply information to the court system due to these rules and staffing constraints.
The administrative assistants will also fulfill other duties to aid the magistrate judges in making bond decisions including conditions placed on defendants. For example, they will contact domestic violence victims to determine if they want GPS monitoring on the defendant, a stipulation of the Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act. They will also make sure defendants are aware of any bond conditions placed on them.
“One of the things that must be done if you set conditions on bond is that the defendant has to acknowledge and sign the order of the bond conditions. That's important, may seem small, but it is important,” said Todd.
Because concerns were raised about defendants speaking with personnel of the court without, perhaps, a lawyer, defendants will now be given this document before any interaction with the administrative assistants.
The positions are now posted. Judge Hayes hopes to have staff in place by November.
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