March 18 hearing set for Arizona's no-bail law

Posted: Feb 07, 2014 10:13 AM PSTUpdated: Feb 07, 2014 11:15 AM PST

PHOENIX (AP) - A March 18 hearing has been set for an appeals court to hear arguments over an Arizona law that denies bail to people who aren't authorized to be in the country and are charged with certain felonies.

A three-member panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals previously rejected a challenge to the law, but the challengers succeeded in getting an 11-member panel of the court to consider the case.

The 2006 voter-approved law denies bail to people who are in the country illegally and charged with certain felonies, such as murder, sexual assault and even aggravated identity theft.

Critics say the law violates equal-protection guarantees.

Proponents say the law prevents people who aren't authorized to be in the country and skip out on their bail from committing future offenses.

Read more: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/24...#ixzz2sfTreJwX