COVID-19 outbreak at Fresno jail forces extension of $0 bail release for most inmates

Fresno courts will extend the $0 bail policy for most prisoners due to “unforeseen circumstances” related to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the Fresno County North Jail.

Tony Botti, spokesman for Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, said the decision between the sheriff and presiding Judge Alvin Harrell was reached over the weekend after 1,200 inmates were placed in quarantine Friday.

The bail release policy will free up jail space because of the quarantine in the jail’s North Annex after 13 prisoners tested positive for the virus. Botti said that the $0 bail policy would not be in effect for inmates arrested on charges of child abuse or elder abuse. And those returned to jail after being released under the provisions, most misdemeanor or lower-level felony offenders, would also not be eligible for re-release.

Botti said the policy was instituted Saturday at midnight. He added that release of inmates eligible to walk out of jail under a federal court order limiting jail capacity would also go up to make room for more inmates due to the North Annex situation.

This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 12:02 PM.