AURORA, Ill., Nov. 16, 2020 — Rev. John Bell, pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora, Ill., was among faith leaders speaking against money bonds at a Nov. 10 press conference. The conference was held outside the Chicago Temple building, a skyscraper church home to the congregation of First UMC of Chicago.

Faith leaders hosted the press conference over Zoom to connect in-person events in Chicago and Rockford as well as remarks delivered digitally from around the state.

Founded in 2016, the Coalition to End Money Bond comprises a group of member organizations with the shared goal of stopping the large-scale jailing of people simply because they are unable to pay a monetary bond.

In addition to ending allowing access to money determine who is incarcerated and who is free pending trial, the Coalition is committed to reducing the overall number of people in Cook County Jail and under pretrial supervision as part of a larger fight against mass incarceration.

The Coalition to End Money Bond is tackling bail reform and the abolition of money bond as part of its member organizations’ larger efforts to achieve racial and economic justice for all residents of Cook County.

Additionally, nearly 200 Illinois clergy signed an open letter to state legislature stating, “Free the captives, end money bond before the end of the year.”

Watch the press conference at www.facebook.com/endmoneybond.

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