The Baltimore public defender's office has joined the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in opposing the city's attempt to join a lawsuit over delays at the state-run Central Booking and Intake Center.
In April, the public defender's office sued the public safety department over excessive delays in the booking process that led to suspects being detained more than 24 hours without receiving an initial hearing.
City Circuit Judge John M. Glynn ordered Central Booking officials to release suspects held longer than legally allowed. The facility is responsible for processing about 100,000 people arrested in Baltimore each year.
Pointing to a threat to public safety - and the release of 85 suspects from April to June - the city filed a motion to join the public defender's office in its suit against the state. City Solicitor Ralph S. Tyler argued in court filings this week that the city should be allowed as a plaintiff because the public defender's office, which represents criminal defendants, benefits "from Central Booking's dysfunction and from the current status quo."
The public defender's office argued this week that the city does not have grounds to join the suit. Noting past disputes between the city and state, the public defender's office said it did not want its case to "devolve into one more forum for ... bickering if the city is permitted to intervene."
The attorney general's office, which represents the public safety department, argued in court papers that the city's place in the lawsuit should be as a defendant because of policing policies that it says contribute to Central Booking delays.
Glynn must decide whether to allow the city to join the suit.
- Gus G Sentementes
In April, the public defender's office sued the public safety department over excessive delays in the booking process that led to suspects being detained more than 24 hours without receiving an initial hearing.
City Circuit Judge John M. Glynn ordered Central Booking officials to release suspects held longer than legally allowed. The facility is responsible for processing about 100,000 people arrested in Baltimore each year.
Pointing to a threat to public safety - and the release of 85 suspects from April to June - the city filed a motion to join the public defender's office in its suit against the state. City Solicitor Ralph S. Tyler argued in court filings this week that the city should be allowed as a plaintiff because the public defender's office, which represents criminal defendants, benefits "from Central Booking's dysfunction and from the current status quo."
The public defender's office argued this week that the city does not have grounds to join the suit. Noting past disputes between the city and state, the public defender's office said it did not want its case to "devolve into one more forum for ... bickering if the city is permitted to intervene."
The attorney general's office, which represents the public safety department, argued in court papers that the city's place in the lawsuit should be as a defendant because of policing policies that it says contribute to Central Booking delays.
Glynn must decide whether to allow the city to join the suit.
- Gus G Sentementes
