Missouri law allows a felon to break down you door to get fugitives. The loophole for bail bondsmen remains despite regular talks to overturn it. Bail bondsman Gerald Cox was a part of an association that pushed the State of Missouri to allow felons - with records older than 15 years -- to be bounty hunters. It's an important job to find fugitives and it comes with the power to knock down doors.
Cox told us, "We didn't want to let just anybody in, but we wanted to be fair about it."
Cox helped push for a new law -- along with Virgil Lee Jackson - a man with a violent felony record. After the law passed, Jackson was arrested and convicted, for conspiring to murder Cox.
I asked Cox, "The fact that somebody who sat on the board with you ended up trying to kill you - doesn't that prove these guys have no business in the industry?" Gerald Cox answered, "That's kind of the exception of the of the - the exception if you will. I did oppose that, the particular section of the bill. I was out voted."
But he's happy about the new law anyway, saying the most important part of it - is a requirement for more training.
Cox explained, "Anybody could be a bail bondsman before. Now we've made it tougher."
Former State Rep Bob Behnen sponsored the bill. After it passed, the association donated to the Behnen campaign.
"Well he was up for re-election. I mean that's, that's -- don't know how to say this -- he was helping us, we were helping him."
We asked Behnen about it, "[Reporter] When you work so closely with an organization and they they contribute to you later - isn't that a conflict of interest? [Behnen] Well it is if it's before hand - if it's quid quo pro. But if you pay and then you get -- if you pay somebody after the fact, after it's done, you're not getting something for it, then you're supporting someone after for their actions in what they believe in."
Behnen pointed out the association also supported his opponent. The bottom line he said - it was a good bill, because it added new training and requirements. He also stands by the clause allowing felons a bail bond license.
Behnen said, "We have a lot of people in prisons and when these people get out do we want to create another obstacle for them to get a job to get a good paying job, where they can provide for their families and hopefully stay away from a life of crime."
I also talked to a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Insurance, which is the state agency that watches over bailbondsmen and bounty hunters. He said the State of Missouri can still deny a felon a license -- case by case. He said the state allowed several felons in the business about 4 years ago -- then the Virgil Lee Jackson controversy led to a round up -- and the felons lost their license. He said the Jay Nixon administration plans to deny licenses to future violent felons who apply.
In our previous report, we told you how Gerald Cox and his son were arrested for kidnapping. Police accused them of ordering their bounty hunters to bring them an innocent man. Since then, the St Louis County prosecutor dropped those charges. The Cox's are suing the city of Maryland Heights for wrongful arrest.
Cox told us, "We didn't want to let just anybody in, but we wanted to be fair about it."
Cox helped push for a new law -- along with Virgil Lee Jackson - a man with a violent felony record. After the law passed, Jackson was arrested and convicted, for conspiring to murder Cox.
I asked Cox, "The fact that somebody who sat on the board with you ended up trying to kill you - doesn't that prove these guys have no business in the industry?" Gerald Cox answered, "That's kind of the exception of the of the - the exception if you will. I did oppose that, the particular section of the bill. I was out voted."
But he's happy about the new law anyway, saying the most important part of it - is a requirement for more training.
Cox explained, "Anybody could be a bail bondsman before. Now we've made it tougher."
Former State Rep Bob Behnen sponsored the bill. After it passed, the association donated to the Behnen campaign.
"Well he was up for re-election. I mean that's, that's -- don't know how to say this -- he was helping us, we were helping him."
We asked Behnen about it, "[Reporter] When you work so closely with an organization and they they contribute to you later - isn't that a conflict of interest? [Behnen] Well it is if it's before hand - if it's quid quo pro. But if you pay and then you get -- if you pay somebody after the fact, after it's done, you're not getting something for it, then you're supporting someone after for their actions in what they believe in."
Behnen pointed out the association also supported his opponent. The bottom line he said - it was a good bill, because it added new training and requirements. He also stands by the clause allowing felons a bail bond license.
Behnen said, "We have a lot of people in prisons and when these people get out do we want to create another obstacle for them to get a job to get a good paying job, where they can provide for their families and hopefully stay away from a life of crime."
I also talked to a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Insurance, which is the state agency that watches over bailbondsmen and bounty hunters. He said the State of Missouri can still deny a felon a license -- case by case. He said the state allowed several felons in the business about 4 years ago -- then the Virgil Lee Jackson controversy led to a round up -- and the felons lost their license. He said the Jay Nixon administration plans to deny licenses to future violent felons who apply.
In our previous report, we told you how Gerald Cox and his son were arrested for kidnapping. Police accused them of ordering their bounty hunters to bring them an innocent man. Since then, the St Louis County prosecutor dropped those charges. The Cox's are suing the city of Maryland Heights for wrongful arrest.
