I've been reading a lot about criminals being charged and bail being set in the news lately, and I'm curious about what it is exactly.
As an example from today's New York Post:
Quote:
A 23-year-old drunken driver who fatally struck a single mom after leaving Sunday's Mets game was charged yesterday with vehicular manslaughter, negligent homicide, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Michael Barlow wsa arraigned in Queens Supreme Court and ordered held on $50,000 bail in the death of Teresa Mankarious, 50, of Edison, N.J.
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I gather that bail is the amount set that can be paid to get someone out of jail/holding, but I'm uncertain on the specifics. If bail is paid, is a suspect let of of jail, deemed innocent, and free to go wherever and do whatever he pleases? Does he still have to stand trial, and if yes, what is there to prevent him from leaving the state and making it exceptionally difficult to find him again for follow-ups to a given crime?
I've also been reading quite a bit about Jose Carranza lately, and the situation in which bail of $150,000 was paid, and he walked, only to later shoot four college students in the head, almost as if they were being executed.
Thus, I'd appreciate some clarification on what exactly bail is, and more specifically, how it works.
Is paying bail essentially giving a suspect a "Get of of Jail" card, or are they still considered a suspect despite them being able to leave confinement/prison?