[kcvl]

Judge who set bail for suspect not sure if he knew background

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. -- The judge who set bail for the Fargo, N.D., man charged with kidnapping a girl in Idaho said Sunday he barely remembers the case and isn't sure if he knew then that the man was a registered Level 3 sex offender.

Becker County District Judge Thomas Schroeder told KSTP-TV of the Twin Cities that the details of Joseph Edward Duncan III's bail hearing were just coming back to him.

"You hear so many of these, and apparently I did set the bail in this matter," Schroeder said.

Schroeder set Duncan's bail at $15,000. Duncan made bail and later skipped out.

"Usually on a bail hearing you have limited information, and so you set it in an amount that you think is appropriate," the judge said.

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Becker County District Judge Thomas Schroeder, who had set bail at $15,000 despite prosecutors' request that it be $25,000, said Sunday that he barely remembers the case and isn't sure if he knew then that Joseph Edward Duncan III was a registered Level 3 sex offender.

"Usually on a bail hearing you have limited information, and so you set it in an amount that you think is appropriate," the judge said. He said if he had known Duncan's record, he would have set it high enough that Duncan would not have gone free.

[HiJinx]

Becker County District Judge Thomas Schroeder, who had set bail at $15,000 despite prosecutors' request that it be $25,000, said

for those who wish to crucify the judge, I'd recommend taking a look at the prosecutor. There's lots of blame to go around, here.

[SweetCaroline]

WHAT THE HE!! DO THEY HAVE THIS GUY FOR!!!

Recent Press Releases:
Director Earns Top-Notch Award for Work with Offenders
originally reported November 17, 2004 top
Mark Sizer, Community Corrections Division Director for Stearns County, recently received the prestigious Jack Young Award. This is one of the most esteemed awards a person can receive in the community corrections field.

Sizer took home the honor for his creative and successful work in community corrections. His innovative yet proven tactics and methods for community corrections are recognized as outstanding by many in his line of work.

Dakota County Community Corrections Director, Barb Illsley, along with some of her peers, nominated Sizer for the award, citing his leadership in the field for a number of years, including his leadership in statewide initiatives.

Currently, Sizer serves as chair of the Stearns County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee and is working to promote systematic change in the way offenders are detained in the county jail.

Sizer also chairs a statewide Out-of-Home Placement Task Force which recently published a guide to assist professionals in the juvenile justice system when making difficult decisions about the placement of youth outside their home. In 2000, the Department of Corrections asked Sizer to chair the Statewide Outcome Measures, Performance Enhancement and Data Integration Committee.

A huge undertaking, this group worked to identify statewide outcomes for correctional practices rather than each county using their own measurements.

The next year, Sizer was again approached by the Department of Corrections and asked to chair the State Data Definition Team. This group is currently defining how outcome measures should be collected and what data systems and protocols should be used.

Sizer plays a leadership role in a number of organizations, including MACCAC, Minnesota Association of Community Corrections Act Counties, serving on the legislative, public relations and conference committees. His participation on the Department of Corrections Community Service Advisory Committee has given Sizer many opportunities to advance research based community practices.

Sizer was one of the first in the state to implement offender risk/need assessment and case management. Using research validated assessment tools to assess the risk and need level of offenders, rather than basing risk and need solely on whether the offender committed a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony crime.

Restorative Justice is another example of Sizer's unique approach to community corrections. Restorative Justice is based on the philosophy that crime can best be resolved and prevented by working to heal all parties involved: the victim and community as well as the offender. Victims will actually participate in the justice process. Success is based on how much repair was done rather than how much punishment was inflicted.

[proudofthesouth]

Becker County District Judge Thomas Schroeder, who had set bail at $15,000 despite prosecutors' request that it be $25,000, said Sunday that he barely remembers the case and isn't sure if he knew then that Joseph Edward Duncan III was a registered Level 3 sex offender.

Well he obviously failed to inform himself of the facts. I say he needs hard labor jail time for turning this predator loose!

[SuziQ]

The judge who set bail for the Fargo, N.D., man charged with kidnapping a girl in Idaho said Sunday he barely remembers the case and isn't sure if he knew then that the man was a registered Level 3 sex offender.

Is there no National Register for Sex Offenders? If not, then they can just keep moving around getting charged with crimes, and if there is no record, the Judges will continue to do as this judge did.