CHICAGO, IL - According to a report from the Washington Free Beacon, a law passed by Democrat leaders has allowed for individuals accused of violent felonies to stay out of jail and on the streets.
The law, which went into effect mid-September, ended cash bail in the entire state of Illinois. Now, an array of violent alleged suspects who otherwise would have remained behind bars while they awaited trial, have been released from custody without bail.
According to the data reviewed by the Free Beacon, one man whose rap sheet includes over 15 arrests, was released after he allegedly bit a police officer and squeezed the officer's testicles.
Another man, who was on parole for armed robbery, a violent crime, was afforded the opportunity to avoid pretrial detention after allegedly breaking into a high-end boutique.
A woman was released from custody after she allegedly attacked four police officers. Her release came on the first day the state's bail reform law went into effect.
These incidents are just a few examples of the negative impact the state's SAFE-T Act has already had. Several cities across the country have enacted policies in an effort to reform cash bail - make it more equitable - Illinois is the first state to actually abolish it entirely.
Out of the 102 prosecutors across the state, 100 of them opposed the law. Several of them blasted the state's far-left legislature and the overreach on the counties were law enforcement officials opposed the end of cash bail. Will County prosecutor James Glasgow said:
"Unfortunately, the citizens of Illinois who are the sovereign authority were not consulted in this significant matter. I will continue to fulfill the oath of office to the best of my ability and I pray to God that prosecutors and law enforcement will continue to be able to properly address violent crime and maintain the safety of our communities given the serious limitations placed on all our agencies by the act."
One of the released suspects, Nicholas Koczor, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer. In addition to those charges, he faces phone harassment charges after prosecutors stated that he left his girlfriend a voicemail that implied he could "dismember her body."
He was arrested for the alleged crimes back in 2022 and stayed behind bars after he could not post bond. However, once the SAFE-T Act went into effect, he immediately filed a petition for his release.
Esmeralda Aguilar allegedly battered four police officers in downtown Chicago. Two of those officers required medical attention from the violent incident. Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx, who received millions in campaign money from liberal billionaire George Soros, failed to file a detention motion, which meant Aguilar was immediately released.
Republican state lawmaker John Curran, said that Aguilar's release shows that Illinois Democrats are "prioritizing violent offenders" over law enforcement and victims of crime. He said:
"This highlights the misplaced priorities of Illinois' criminal justice system when the prosecutor prioritizes the freedom of a violent offender over the safety of those police officers dedicated to protecting and serving our communities. Is it any wonder why police recruitment is at an all-time low in this state?"
Under the SAFE-T Act, prosecutors must make the case for why a suspect should be held in custody. Only forcible felonies qualify for pre-trial detention and in those cases, variables such as the defendant's flight risk, the likelihood they will return to court and their danger to the community are considered.
Illinois Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker, who stated that this "historic" statute was a "critical" step toward a "more equitable and just Illinois," did not return a requst for comment to the Free Beacon.
The law, which went into effect mid-September, ended cash bail in the entire state of Illinois. Now, an array of violent alleged suspects who otherwise would have remained behind bars while they awaited trial, have been released from custody without bail.
According to the data reviewed by the Free Beacon, one man whose rap sheet includes over 15 arrests, was released after he allegedly bit a police officer and squeezed the officer's testicles.
Another man, who was on parole for armed robbery, a violent crime, was afforded the opportunity to avoid pretrial detention after allegedly breaking into a high-end boutique.
A woman was released from custody after she allegedly attacked four police officers. Her release came on the first day the state's bail reform law went into effect.
These incidents are just a few examples of the negative impact the state's SAFE-T Act has already had. Several cities across the country have enacted policies in an effort to reform cash bail - make it more equitable - Illinois is the first state to actually abolish it entirely.
Out of the 102 prosecutors across the state, 100 of them opposed the law. Several of them blasted the state's far-left legislature and the overreach on the counties were law enforcement officials opposed the end of cash bail. Will County prosecutor James Glasgow said:
"Unfortunately, the citizens of Illinois who are the sovereign authority were not consulted in this significant matter. I will continue to fulfill the oath of office to the best of my ability and I pray to God that prosecutors and law enforcement will continue to be able to properly address violent crime and maintain the safety of our communities given the serious limitations placed on all our agencies by the act."
One of the released suspects, Nicholas Koczor, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer. In addition to those charges, he faces phone harassment charges after prosecutors stated that he left his girlfriend a voicemail that implied he could "dismember her body."
He was arrested for the alleged crimes back in 2022 and stayed behind bars after he could not post bond. However, once the SAFE-T Act went into effect, he immediately filed a petition for his release.
Esmeralda Aguilar allegedly battered four police officers in downtown Chicago. Two of those officers required medical attention from the violent incident. Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx, who received millions in campaign money from liberal billionaire George Soros, failed to file a detention motion, which meant Aguilar was immediately released.
Republican state lawmaker John Curran, said that Aguilar's release shows that Illinois Democrats are "prioritizing violent offenders" over law enforcement and victims of crime. He said:
"This highlights the misplaced priorities of Illinois' criminal justice system when the prosecutor prioritizes the freedom of a violent offender over the safety of those police officers dedicated to protecting and serving our communities. Is it any wonder why police recruitment is at an all-time low in this state?"
Under the SAFE-T Act, prosecutors must make the case for why a suspect should be held in custody. Only forcible felonies qualify for pre-trial detention and in those cases, variables such as the defendant's flight risk, the likelihood they will return to court and their danger to the community are considered.
Illinois Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker, who stated that this "historic" statute was a "critical" step toward a "more equitable and just Illinois," did not return a requst for comment to the Free Beacon.
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