Bond has been posted for Casey Anthony, the mother of missing 3-year-old Caylee Anthony. See related story.
The following press release was read Wednesday by Dina Edwards, bail agent with the Financial Casualty and Surety Co., outside the Orange County Jail just before the $500,000 bond was posted.
Good Morning,
On behalf of Financial Casualty & Surety, Inc., a Texas domiciled insurance company licensed to write bail bond surety in Florida, I would like to address the issue of underwriting Casey Anthony’s bail bond.
The bail bond agent and the bail bond insurance company fulfill a vital role in America’s criminal justice system. Every American is guaranteed the right to bail in the Constitution of the United States. This right is one of the many vital safeguards placed in the Constitution by America’s founding fathers to help prevent governmental abuse of power.
We want to emphasize that it is the duty and responsibility of the criminal court system to determine if an accused is a serious threat to public safety. No bail will be set by the court if there is a serious threat. However, if the court determines an individual can be released on bail, then the court sets the bail at a dollar value it feels will ensure the defendants return to court. Again we emphasize - the bail bond agent does not determine if any individual can be released on bail. That is the sole prevue of the criminal court.
The duty of the bail bond agent and the bail surety is to arrange for the defendant’s bail once the court determines eligibility for bail. After the accused is released on bail, it is the duty of the bail bond agent and the bail surety to ensure the accused does return to court.
The bail bond agent should never be demonized for letting defendants out of jail. We want to stress --- it is the court that decides if an individual can be bonded, not the bail agent.
The bail industry fulfills its role in the criminal justice system by not making moral judgments but instead acting at the direction of the criminal court that has decided bail is appropriate.
The bail industry and the bail bond agent fulfills its duties as part of the criminal justice system at no cost or expense to the taxpayers, while at the same time insuring that the accused returns for their day in court. We are a business but we offer the BEST means of providing bail, of insuring the defendant’s appearance in court and of reducing the operating cost of the criminal justice system to the taxpayer.
Regarding the bail being posted for Casey Anthony (I quote FCS Sr. Vice President Robert Sabo) “Personally I believe that there is no punishment too severe for anyone that harms a child. However, I also believe in our Constitution and the vital function our industry serves in helping individuals with their constitutional rights. We as an industry must not succumb to making moral judgments. We must assume that everyone has a right to their day in court and that they must be provided the right to participate in their own defense. They must be given the benefit of the doubt regarding innocence or guilt. To accomplish this, the bail agent must remain unbiased and must maintain their neutrality and professionalism in doing their job.”
Finally, it is our greatest hope that posting the bail bond for Casey Anthony will help to quickly find little Caylee.
Robert Sabo, CPA
Sr. Vice President
Financial Casualty & Surety, Inc.
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