[andyk]

Charbel Hamaty sat in jail six months before the district attorney dropped charges

Whoa, six months in jail without a conviction? I'm missing something here.

[henderson field]

The least he can do is bill them for six months at, say, $70 an hour.

[festus]

Whoa, six months in jail without a conviction? I'm missing something here.

This typically happens when a person is not able to post enough money for his bail. In that case you simply stay in jail until your trial. Trials are often as long as six months from the offense, or longer. If you are found not guilty at trial then they let you go.