TV judge seeks changes in allowing bail for no-shows, violent types

Brendan Riley

Tuesday, March 9, 1999 | 3 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Former prosecutor, judge and boxing referee Mills Lane took on another role Tuesday - in addition to his TV judge status - as a lobbyist for Nevada's bail bond industry.

Lane appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to endorse part of a bill that, among other things, would temporarily block release of anyone with a history of violence or of missing court appearances.

Lane said many no-shows involve people released on their own recognizance after an arrest - "OR" cases in which no bail was posted - who may have a long record or abused the OR option in the past.

"You shouldn't willy-nilly release people without some kind of investigation," added Lane, who hosts the syndicated "Judge Mills Lane" show.

Annie Rees, president of the Nevada Bail Agents Association, also argued for SB273, which includes provisions to ensure judges issue arrest warrants within 30 days after someone fails to show up for a court appearance.

Rees, who has her own bail bond business in Carson City, told of a case in which a man failed to appear in court on two separate rape charges and a warrant for his arrest wasn't issued for four months.

Rees, who had posted bond for the man, said she finally located him - only to find that he had been stopped for traffic offenses three times in the four-month period. On any one of those stops, she said the existence of a warrant would have led to an immediate arrest.

Laurel Stadler of Mothers Against Drunken Drivers also favored the measure, but said she liked an initial version which would prevent the release of anyone arrested for driving drunk before they're sober.

Judiciary Chairman Mark James, R-Las Vegas, delayed action on the bill after noting that it had been substantially rewritten just before Tuesday's hearing.

He said the rewrite "severely jeopardizes the bill" because committee members didn't get a chance to analyze the changes prior to the hearing.

James also warned that any mandates for judges would likely be rejected, adding, "We're not going to curtail the discretion of judges" in matters relating to bail and arrest warrants.