Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

˜Eighth Amendment, Constitution of the United States˜

Today’s hearing in which Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, entered a plea of not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges and bail was set at $75,000, three times the usual bail for an involuntary manslaughter charge, begs a comparison to San Bernardino County’s own high-profile prosecutions. Those, of course, are the Jim Erwin and Bill Postmus criminal cases. Continue reading →