Commissioners approve pre-trial resolution despite opposition

New information on a new system meant to cut jail expenses.

ABC-7 has learned some are concerned it may violate a person’s constitutional rights.

It’s called the Criminal Justice Coordination Department and some El Pasoans asked the County to not go through with a resolution designating it a new law enforcement agency, which they claim would target poor defendants.

That didn’t stop Commissioners Court from approving the resolution by a 3-0 vote on Monday. Commissioners Carlos Leon and David Stout were not in attendance.

There was little discussion on the topic before it was approved and no one spoke in opposition during the meeting. However, a news release quotes a letter local attorney Mario Gonzalez sent to the Council of Judges.

“The poor and indigent would be required to disclose personal information in violation of their Fifth Amendment privileges in order to get a temporary release from jail,” Gonzalez writes.

Commissioner Vince Perez and County Judge Veronica Escobar didn’t feel the concerns present a problem.

“A judge can ultimately decide that any information gathered during the intake process is solely used for the purposes of setting a bond and pretrial release,” Perez said. “Simple as that.”

Escobar added: “We don’t agree at all. And as we have all said over and over again, this is not a novelty and this is not something that is coming out of left field. And in fact, it is something that has unanimous support from the Commissioners Court.”

Both Escobar and Perez said the system is modeled after others in the state and throughout the country. They believe they’re on solid ground.

“We are modeling this office and these practices after established practices across the country,” Escobar said, “practices that have been in place for decades.”