Jail, Bail, Impound

by Brandon Summers | May 26, 2019

Jail sucks and you should avoid it at all costs. I had the misfortune of getting locked up on a bench warrant in 2013 and spent 12 hours in a freezing holding cell. I got booked on a Saturday night and bailed out as soon as possible ($450 for a $3,000 bond).

The bottom line is that jail is avoidable in most situations, but most performers end up at Clark County Detention Center (CCDC) because they’ve missed a court date. If you miss a court date, the judge hearing your case issues a warrant for your arrest. I’ve sat in the court room at Community Impact Court and watched Judge Joe Bonaventure hand out bench warrants like Halloween candy. If you get a ticket, show up to court on the date specified on the ticket and/or have an attorney there. Even if you think it’s a “minor” obstruction charge, Clark County recognizes that ticket as a misdemeanor = criminal.

Getting Out Of jail

Impounded Equipment / Evidence Vault

by Brandon Summers | May 26, 2019

If Metro impounds your instrument, costume, or other belongings, be prepared to be without them for several months. Your stuff is now “evidence” in a criminal investigation; and it’s up to the arresting officer or his/her supervisor to release your items. They may not have to release your property until your criminal case is closed— the LVMPD Evidence Vault has no say in the matter. My bench trial date was set for four and half months from my arrest date, so I could have been without my possessions for nearly half a year. I was proactive in getting my stuff back, but it still took time.

I had my violin, amplifier, and (2) cell phones impounded by a sergeant in September 2018. It took 3 months of pestering Convention Center Area Command (CCAC) and an assist from the NAACP to get my stuff back. I’ve heard worse stories from other performers— situations in which performers were without their possessions for an entire year.

When your items are released, you will get a letter in the mail notifying you to pick-up. The employee behind the window will ask you to present I.D. and sign some paperwork before retrieving your items. It’s better than Christmas.