“Bail was set improperly in the first place, see bail amounts eventually established by actually following the law. Not saying those were necessarily proper amounts, but they are closer to “proper” than $1mm.”
What would be a proper bail? ZERO?
Well, proper bail depends on many factors. I'm not sure if your ZERO represent "bail denied" (held without bail), or ROR (released on own recognizance). The law recognizes those values, and everything in between, with the proper amount being decided on an personal-individual case by case basis.
The starting point for setting bail, in Texas, is Article 17.15 of the Texas Code. The criteria, "to send a message," is absent from the criteria prescribed by law. Further, the statute recites, "The power to require bail is not to be so used as to make it an instrument of oppression."