In a city as fast-paced and complex as New York, legal slip-ups can have real human consequences. Few stories illustrate that better than the case of Aitabdel Salem, a man who spent nearly five months in Rikers Island because of what amounted to a $2 oversight.
Arrested Over a Coat and an Altercation
It all started in November 2014. Aitabdel Salem, 41, was arrested in Queens for allegedly stealing a coat and assaulting an NYPD officer. His bail was set at $25,000, an amount he couldn’t pay. Like many who can’t afford bail, he ended up in jail.
But the case quickly took a turn.
Charges Dropped but the Message Didn’t Get Through
Prosecutors failed to indict him on the more serious assault charge, so the judge dismissed it. That left only two minor charges: tampering and criminal mischief.
Each of those charges carried a $1 bail.
Salem could have been released for just $2, roughly the price of a slice of pizza in New York City. But no one told him.
A Breakdown in Communication
Salem says he was never informed about the reduced bail amount. Not by the court, not by jail staff, and not even by his own lawyer. Believing he still needed $25,000 to get out, he remained behind bars at Rikers Island, one of the most notorious jails in the country.
For months, he stayed there, completely unaware that he could have walked free for the cost of a coffee.
Released, Then Re-Arrested
In April 2015, Salem was finally released. But just a few weeks later, he was arrested again for missing a court date related to the same assault charge that had already been dismissed. His attorneys said he never received the court notice. It had been returned to the sender.
This time, the court set his bail at $30,000.
A Case Study in Systemic Failure
Salem’s story may sound unbelievable, but it highlights serious issues in the criminal justice system: poor communication, legal mismanagement, and a bail process that often traps low-income individuals.
He spent months behind bars not because of what he did, but because no one told him he could leave.
In the end, it wasn’t the law that held him in jail. It was a $2 mistake.