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'Maybe this is a wake up call': Computer glitch that led to release of 280 defendants happened three previous times

Harris County's Chief Public Defender said the focus needs to be on ensuring a backup plan is in place should the system crash again.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A computer glitch that led to the release of more than 280 defendants from the Harris County Jail over the weekend has happened before. 

The county's Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin said it's happened 3 previous times in recent years and the District Attorney's office has done nothing to create a backup plan.

"Maybe this is a wake-up call and something will be done," said Bunin. 

Bunin had a front-row seat to the computer glitch that crashed J-Web, the county's computer system. 

RELATED: Nearly 300 defendants released from Harris Co. Jail after a glitch prevented them from getting probable cause hearings

"It affected the DA's system allowing them to accept and file charges," said Bunin. 

It impacted hundreds of the defendants his office represents. 

"In many cases, it kept them in jail for hours and days longer than they should have," said Bunin. 

Some defendants were locked up without a probable cause hearing for more than 48 hours, violating Texas law. That's why Bunin said a magistrate ordered the release of more than 280 defendants. 

"It sounds like a scary number but it really is business as usual," said Bunin. "What's not usual is keeping people in jail longer than they're supposed to be."

RELATED: Harris County Bail Bond Board rejects proposal requiring bondsmen to collect 10% minimum bond

Bunin said there was never a threat to public safety and no felony cases or violent offenders were part of that release. 

"Those were all people that would have been released pretty quickly anyway," said Bunin.

The focus instead Bunin said needs to be on why the computer system failed again. 

"This exact situation has happened 3 times before, but it never made the papers," said Bunin. 

This was the fourth time, and if nothing changes, Bunin believes it won't be the last. 

"I think everyone needs to get together, the DA, District Clerk, Universal Services, Sheriff, everyone needs to be on the same page," said Bunin. "Computers will go down again and we just need another plan when they do."

The DA's office is responding to the claim they've failed to create a backup plan. They released this statement: 

"These failures are the responsibility of Universal Services, which is the County’s IT Department and it is crucial that Commissioners Court provide Universal Services with the sufficient resources- persons and technology- for this to be fixed and never happen again

This failure is not the result of anything done by the DA Office and the solution is not up to the DA."

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