The cash bail system continues to face scrutiny in the U.S. Activists say it subverts the long-held American ideal that a person is innocent until proven guilty. In other words, under the cash bail system, if you can鈥檛 afford to post bail, you could end up sitting in jail for days, weeks or months waiting for a trial regardless of your innocence.
In Colorado, like other states, , making this a huge equity issue. State Rep. recently won a seat in the statehouse in part because of her activism on this issue. She has been fighting to reform the justice system and eradicate cash bail in Colorado for several years and the documentary How We Get Free tells that story.
"It is incredibly challenging when you talk about folks who have been incarcerated, or even unjustly incarcerated, to get people to sit up and pay attention,鈥� said the film's co-director . 鈥淏ut it's just the nature of the way that in our country, folks who are economically more vulnerable have been vilified.鈥�
Ahead of the film鈥檚 screening at the , In The NoCo鈥檚 Erin O鈥橳oole sat down with Gandbhir to learn why she made Epps鈥� grassroots efforts the subject of her documentary.
screens during the festival's , Wednesday, April 3, at Colorado State University's Lory Student Center theater.
