In April of 2026, a landmark California Supreme Court ruling (In re Kowalczyk) limited who could be detained pretrial and banned unafforable bail. Author and organizer Xavier España sat in courtrooms to see how judges were applying the ruling. While courtwatching and following the efforts of a father trying to be released from a "no bail allowed order" after two years in jail, Xavier realized his efforts for release and to reuinte with his family was more personal than he exp

Below is a rare eye witness account by a formerly incarcerated person sharing what it's like for people facing CO's now armed with Tasers. Based on his request, the author's name has been removed to protect his anonymity.