Lawsuit: Woman kept in Colorado jail for weeks over $55 fee

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado woman arrested on suspicion of possessing a small amount of methamphetamine remained in jail for weeks and decided to plead guilty because she was unable to pay a $55 county fee for pretrial services, according to a lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado.

The federal suit says El Paso County's fee is unjustly keeping people in jail – even after a judge allows them to be freed on their own recognizance.

County records indicate more than 50 people were unable to pay the county fee this fall, ACLU attorneys said in the lawsuit.

Attorneys said 26-year-old Jasmine Still remained in jail for 27 days after being granted a personal recognizance bond and agreeing to attend future court appearances.

The conditions of her bond did not include any financial commitment, the lawsuit states.

Still's attorneys said she was arrested in January for the first time on suspicion of possessing three-tenths of a gram of methamphetamine. Still's children were put in foster care while she was held in jail, and county officials told a judge the $55 fee could not be waived by anyone except the county's bond commissioners.

"As the days passed, Ms. Still remained incarcerated while her children slipped farther from her grasp," the lawsuit said. "She decided that, rather than wait in jail while she fought her case, she had no choice but to plead guilty so that she could get out of jail quickly and fight for custody of her children."