The newest judge in the Ferguson Municipal Court withdrew all arrest warrants issued before Dec. 31, 2014, as part of a broad set of changes coming to the city.
Just two months into his new post, Judge Donald McCullin also changed the conditions for pre-trial release of certain defendants to include payment plans, community service, or commuting fines for indigent persons.
“These changes should continue the process of restoring confidence in the Court, alleviating fears of the consequences of appearing in Court, and giving many residents a fresh start,” McCullin said in a statement on Monday.
“Many individuals whose license has been suspended will be able to obtain them and take advantage of the benefits of being able to drive. Moreover, defendants will not be disadvantaged in being afforded pre-trial release because of the inability to make bond.”
McCullin, 74, is a member of the Mound City Bar Association, a group that voiced criticism of police and government actions surrounding the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last year and the ensuing violence, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The Mound City Bar Association, which represents black lawyers, sued Ferguson in the wake of those events.
McCullin was appointed to his job after his predecessor stepped down following death threats to his family.
H/T Rob Edwards | Photo via Karen Neoh/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
