For Chelsea Ratliff, state District Judge Charlie Baird's belief in releasing defendants facing even the most serious charges from jail before trial means that she may never see the man she says sexually assaulted her brought to justice.

Details.

TIME had an article a few mos. after Katrina about the thugs of New Orleans, and their rude awakening when some of them ended up in Texas.

According to the article, the Orleans Parish district judges had a rule that any defendant still in jail after 90 days would be let out on a low or PR bond. Consequently, gang murderers knew they would spend only 90 days locked up. When they got out, they would go shut up the witnesses, with the result that prosecutors rarely could get convictions for serious crimes. The N.O. crooks called this a "90 day murder."

As a result of this policy, which had such great respect for the rights of the accused, New Orleans descended into 3rd World levels of criminality, and indeed became a breeding ground for criminals that, when chased out by the storm, plagued our fair land as well.

Oh well--at least they meant well. And that's the main thing.