If I read the story correctly the new charge wasn't a new offense but rather an ammendment or supplemental charge stemming from the ongoing police investigation.

True, but I think the victim's complaint is that the court had the opportunity to keep the defendant in jail by setting a new bond, but instead he took the position that it would be unfair to put him back in jail after he posted bond on a charge arising from the same transaction. Both arguments have merit, since we don't necessarily want to give the prosecution the incentive to file bogus new charges just to override a bond decision, but we also don't want judges to PR bond valid new charges for more serious crimes just because the defendant lucked out and got a low bond on a less serious charge before all the facts were in. How you come down on this case I think depends on how you view the facts, which the story does not really flesh out too much.

State District Judge Charlie Baird, whose term in Travis County has included a first-of-its-kind posthumous exoneration, a protracted feud with local prosecutors and a propensity to give defendants in his court probation, said Tuesday that he will not run for re-election next year.

Details.

quote:

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Originally posted by JB:

State District Judge Charlie Baird, who on Friday said he would wait a year to decide whether former Austin criminal defense lawyer Bruce Garrison should go to prison on charges that he possessed drugs and forged judges' signatures on court documents, once received a campaign contribution from Garrison, according to campaign finance reports.
Statesman article

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Update:

Former lawyer avoids jail time on drug, forgery allegations

Updated: 2:36 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010

No jail for ex-defense lawyer

A former Travis County criminal defense lawyer was sentenced Friday to two years deferred adjudication, a form of probation, for forging judges' signatures on court documents and possessing drugs.

Prosecutors had sought a year in jail for Bruce Garrison, who they argued at a sentencing hearing last year had disseminated information about clients cooperating with police, a practice lawyers said could have led to violent retribution.

One former drug kingpin testified at a sentencing hearing last year that he had smoked methamphetamine with Garrison and had made a deal with the then lawyer in 2006: In exchange for drugs, Garrison would give Noe Perez information on the arrests of Perez's associates and whether they were cooperating with police.

The full story

Just clearing out that docket for the next judge.