John Boone’s Two Dollar Bail

In 2014, a 23-year-old man named John Boone was arrested in New York City on a misdemeanor charge and sent to Rikers Island to await his court date. Within a week, a judge ordered his release on just $2 bail, but his court-appointed lawyer never told him about the bail amount or the order. Boone stayed in jail for about five months, confused about why he was still behind bars and unable to reach anyone who could explain his status. He finally learned he could go free after a new attorney reviewed his case.

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