OXFORD, Miss. — The vast majority of the 5,534 men and women detained in local Mississippi jails are not serving sentences for criminal convictions but are awaiting their day in court to bring charges, and nearly half of those detained have been in jail. prison for more than 90 days.
These are some of the findings released to the public today by the MacArthur Center for Justice at the University of Mississippi School of Law. The updated version of the center’s comprehensive database identifies all 5,534 inmates in Mississippi County and regional jails and is available at www.MSjaildata.com.
Awaiting Charges and Languishing in Jail
A September 2014 article noted that the ACLU took action in Mississippi as defendants sat in county jail for months awaiting felony charges. Such cases arise because Mississippi criminal statutes do not specify a maximum length of time someone can serve in prison before being subjected to a grand jury indictment.
Most states follow a 72-hour time limit, which means the police have that much time to file charges. If no charges are brought, the police must release the accused. Laws may vary from state to state. Unlike California, where police can only detain someone for 48 hours without charge, Mississippi has no maximum time limit. Therefore, some defendants could languish in prison for months.
Call Our New Jersey Criminal Attorneys For Help
If you or a family member has been arrested or think an arrest may be imminent, contact our Sea Isle City Criminal Defense Attorneys immediately. Waiting too long in prison may violate your rights. Call the John J. Zarych Law Office at (609) 616-4956 for a free case review.
Contact an Arizona Criminal Defense Attorney at DM Cantor
Regardless of the reason for your arrest, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Whether you are currently in custody or have been released after an arrest, DM Cantor can help clear your name. All of our defense attorneys are experienced in providing criminal defense legal services to Arizona residents to combat charges, clear arrest records and more.
In prison | Charges or Clearance | A Criminal Attorney | The 72-hour rule from a lawyer’s perspective.
Once a person is arrested and taken to jail, and the probable cause of the arrest has been reviewed by an independent judge within 48 hours, the local prosecutor’s office must decide whether to press charges.
Unless a prosecutor decides to press charges, you or a loved one will be held in jail solely because the police officer and judge have found a probable cause for your arrest. In order to detain you for more than 72 hours (excluding weekends or public holidays), the public prosecutor must file a criminal complaint. You have up to 72 hours to charge people detained by police | judges, or a person must be released. If 48 hours have elapsed, this means that the prosecution only has another 24 hours to do so (note, however, that the 72-hour period does not include any part of Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays). When They Don’t File What Criminal Attorneys Do | The lawyers in the business call for “quick” fees, they are released; Note, however, that a prosecutor may still file criminal charges and (1) mail them to you, or (2) ask a court to issue a restraining order. You’ll find that when the prison releases you, they make sure they have an up-to-date address. This is important because if you lose your charges, a warrant will be issued for your arrest.