By Alexander Jimenez
DUBLIN, CA – Defendant Jabari Taylor was released on penny bail here in the Alameda County Superior Court late last week as prosecutors and defense officials argued over public safety concerns.
However, despite the one cent bail, the judge issued a protection order against Taylor.
The indictment concerned an arrest warrant accusing Taylor of allegedly beating his 13-year-old son. He has also been charged with child endangerment in the past, but the charges have been dropped.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Kaloustian requested Taylor’s release at his own discretion, arguing that Taylor posed no threat to the community. 
Prosecutor Brooke Danielle Perkins strongly refused to be released, pointing to the gruesome nature of the case and asking for $ 50,000 bail with a protection warrant.
Kaloustian argued that financial terms and bail were not required to “ensure Mr. Taylor’s appearance for future court hearings and protect the public,” noting that Taylor was a prolific member of the community, employed full-time at UPS and according to his superiors, “was an asset” and was needed in his workplace.
Given his community engagement and the fact that the victim was his own son, defense attorney Kaloustian believed that a proactive order was sufficient to protect the victim and would otherwise not pose a threat to the public.
Prosecutor Perkins expressed her disapproval of the motion, explaining the violent nature of the case and the injuries the victim had suffered, alleging that Taylor “severely hit” his 13-year-old son, strangled him and pushed him against a railing, that hit his face, leaving him with parted lips, a swollen mouth, and black eyes.
Since the attack was not provoked, Perkins believed the defendant was not only endangering the community but all of his children.
In addition, Perkins cited an earlier case in which the defendant was arrested in the car on DUI charges with the same son and was also charged with child endangerment.
PD Kaloustian, who represented Taylor on the case, stated that the charges were dropped when the blood alcohol level was exactly 0.08 (legal limit), so the criminality order was a “bottleneck”.
Kaloustian assured the court that the victim was living with his mother all day and had “no ongoing risk of contact” with the father, and believed that family law proceedings would allay all concerns.
Judge Colin Bowen, Dept. 712 issued a protection order ordering the defendants not to have any contact with the victim. Any violation would result in high bail and pre-trial detention.
Given what was presented in court, the judge gave a dime bail and Taylor was released from custody. An oral hearing is scheduled for July 16.
Alex Jimenez is a fourth year political science student at the University of California, Berkeley. He is from Pleasanton, California and has ambitions to study law in the future.
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