Woman Posts $15k Cash Bail For Stranger After Brutal Arrest

A concerned Baltimore City resident spent $15,000 to bail a complete stranger out of jail on Thursday. Jennifer Bartley witnessed the arrest of Calvin Wilkes, 25, and two others at the Inner Harbor in April and says the scene, "was one of the worst things I've ever seen." The three were arrested near the Light Street pavilion after security guards called police April 19th. Police allege Wilkes was part of a group causing a disturbance inside the Pavilion and refusing to leave.

I'm pretty impressed with this woman. Seems like a class act to stand up for someone she's never even met. I have no idea if the claims about brutality are true, people resisting arrest do get hurt, and it's not always because the police are trying.

I don't really doubt the the people involved were breaking the law and also doubt they they were being peaceable when the police arrived. That's not what bugs me about the story.

What really bothers me is that the judge set what I consider to be a ridiculously high $ amount on bail, and made it cash only. As the woman says, if they think people can't come up with $15,000 cash, they're wrong. Isn't there something about not requiring obscenely high bail. I think it might something like the 8th amendment...

I've been increasingly frustrated reading news articles about what I consider fairly petty crimes that come with just insanely high bail. Making this one cash only (so you have to pay the whole thing instead of 10% up front or whatever) seems even worse.

I hope the young man takes this opportunity and runs with it. It sounds like he was making a real effort to turn his life around.

Link w/ video

a reply to: Domo1

The worst thing she ever saw… was an arrest.

Pretty sorry (police) state of affairs.

Oh I want to add something. As it stands we really have NO idea if the officers were actually brutalizing anyone. For all we know the young man was fighting viciously and the force used was appropriate. I more appalled by the judges ruling than anything until more facts about the arrest come to light. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if the police overstepped their bounds, but the article didn't seem to mention much of anything about injuries etc. and I'm willing to bet a middle aged soccer Mom isn't exactly used to seeing any sort of violence. Then again they may have een punching him in the head.

a reply to: Domo1

Today's heroes are the ones rescuing their fellow citizens from the Fascists.

If you think you are a good cop and you really want to make a difference, record conversations get documents and turn whistle blower. Not good enough for that? Get out now before things get really bad.

More citizens need to stand up for what they believe in, when, and how they can.

For this women, it was bail.


For others it could be reporting police abuses.

We all need to do our part, as the problems are getting to large for us to just sit and watch.

a reply to: Domo1

Oh man, she better hope he does not skip out on his appearance...homeless man having to go to court...I personally don't see how this helps deter this type of police behavior-posting bail- but it's her money and she can do whatever she wants with it...

a reply to: chrismarco

Quite frankly I don't know if it does a whole lot, but it's a start and nice to see someone standing up for the less fortunate who don't really have a voice in these types of situations.

I obviously don't know all the particulars of the individual that was arrested, priors, etc. but I do think that the judge figured he could set a high bail because no one this guy knew could afford it. Not everyone can just cut a check for $15,000.

There really is a vast difference between how the wealthy and the poor are treated in court and that bothers me.