Oklahoma County presiding judge vows to change bail procedures

Oklahoma County’s new presiding judge is promising to require judges who see jailed inmates for the first time to use discretion in setting bail and not just rigidly follow a bond schedule.

“It’s my intention to make some changes in how setting bonds has been approached in the past,” District Judge Don Deason said. “We need to have practices in place that mandate that we exercise discretion in appropriate circumstances … not rubber stamp it.”

His announcement of a change came in interviews Thursday and Friday with The Oklahoman. It comes at a time of increased public awareness locally and across the country that reforms are needed to prevent the poor from being mistreated by the judicial system when they are accused of crimes.

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