Money bail imprisons
My father is a police officer. When I was in elementary school, he took me to the local police station, led me into a cold, gray cell and shut the door.
"I just want you to know what this feels like," he said, "so you'll never want to be here again." About 30 seconds later, he let me out.
The same way I walked away from the station smiling that day, hundreds of thousands do the same every year. They are arrested, and over the course of days or hours, if they make bail, they return to their lives until trial.
But for those who have low income or no income, the price of freedom is too high. Though they are innocent till proved guilty in the eyes of the law, they must sit behind bars and await their day in court. They cannot work. They cannot take their children to school. They cannot do what rich people accused of the same crime can do.
The result is a system where the wealthy walk and those without deep pockets wait in the deep hole of confinement. They are held not because they pose a greater threat to society, but simply for their failure to pay.
Not only does this lead to an un-American inequity of justice, it perpetuates a cycle of poverty that ultimately degrades all of society. Understanding this challenge, states like New Jersey have virtually abolished bail if the crime is minor.
I believe the solution for Arkansas is simple: Money bail must go.
KENDRELL COLLINS
Fayetteville
Property and its heirs
Heirs' property generally consists of land passed down without a will to many different decedents, meaning a 40-acre plot could have over 200 heirs holding divided interests in the property. The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act passed in 2016 gives legal protections to this vulnerable class of landowners against forced partition sales, which occurs when anyone who owned an interest in the property, no matter how small and regardless of whether they lived on the land or not, forces all owners to sell. The intent of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act is to protect landowners who wish to keep land in the family.
However, the law does not address all heirs' property problems caused by an absence of a will. Some problems still remain. For instance, lack of clear landownership disqualifies heirs' owners from USDA assistance, from collateral on mortgages, or from contracting the land out to timber companies.
First, efforts should be made to educate heirs' owners on their property status so they can begin contacting and clarifying co-ownership of the property. Second, education opportunities for attorneys should be made available with regards to the new law. Legal assistance such as helping heirs create a trust or Limited Liability Corporation that outlines clear ownership of the land will help these property owners decide how best to manage their property.
ASHLEY WOFFORD
Conway
A substitute for death
Thanks to Paul Greenberg for his column, "Bloody Arkansas." He logically presented a substitute for official state murder: "life imprisonment without parole."
Why would a state that wants to post the Ten Commandments on its Capitol grounds violate the commandment that says "Thou shall not murder"?
ANNE CROFOOT QUEEN
Morrilton
Just follow the money
A plutocracy is a society governed by the wealthy. That is what we have in America today. It works this way. All of our legislators can get elected and stay in office only by amassing large sums of money. This money comes mostly from big businesses that are looking to buy influence. The job of legislators is to do the bidding of those who have bankrolled them,.
Case in point: Both of Arkansas' senators and all four representatives have received thousands of dollars from telecom and Internet companies. These companies are always looking for ways to boost their profits. One such way would be for them to sell their customers' personal information to the highest bidders, typically to merchants who want to target new customers.
Guess what? Arkansas' senators and representatives, all of whom are Republicans, have joined other Republicans in Congress to pass legislation that will allow telecom and Internet companies to share customers' personal information without their consent or even knowledge. This personal information includes items such as Web-browsing history, Social Security numbers, email contents, and data about personal health and finances.
It seems that Republicans hate regulations of all kinds, particularly regulations that stifle big business. Your and my privacy is far less important to them than our money.
This is the way plutocracy works. Big money buys legislators, who in turn serve the interests of big money. Just follow the money.
Class dismissed.
SANDY WYLIE
Bella Vista
A bunch of saboteurs
It seems the Democratic Party has dropped all pretense of being a responsible, objective party interested in the well-being of the American people. Instead it has become a calculating bunch of saboteurs hell-bent on destroying the president and his agenda at any cost. That is their only concern and only objective.
I think a good example of the Democrat treachery is their almost unanimous opposition to Judge Gorsuch, probably one of the most qualified and brilliant judges in America. What a disgusting spectacle it is--watching these Democrat senators besmirching and maligning Judge Gorsuch and distorting his record. Is it any wonder that the Dems are being kicked out of office by the hundreds all over the country with each election?
The sooner the Democratic Party ceases to exist, the better off this country will be.
GARY W. LEMON
Cabot
Editorial on 04/05/2017