A firefighter accused of setting a woman on fire on a Chicago train was previously released by a judge in August on a separate assault charge, despite objections from prosecutors regarding his history of violence.
Lawrence Reed, 50, faced charges after an alarming incident captured on an onboard camera left a woman fighting for her life. On August 22, he was placed under electronic monitoring following a prior altercation, which prosecutors argued was inadequate to ensure public safety. Reports indicate that, despite these warnings, Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez had to release him because he faced only misdemeanor charges for allegedly assaulting a social worker on August 19 at McNeil Hospital’s psychiatric ward.
Under Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act, judges can’t detain defendants unless they face felony charges and meet certain other criteria, including having a substantial criminal background. Prosecutor Jerilyn Gumira emphasized that Reed’s electronic monitoring was “completely inadequate,” and it would soon become apparent that she was right.
Transcripts from a court hearing reveal that Gumira warned the judge that Reed’s release could lead to further violent incidents. Surveillance footage showed Reed reacting furiously and slapping the social worker so hard that she lost consciousness.
The victim suffered severe injuries, including a corneal laceration and a concussion that affected her memory and caused nausea. Additionally, she had a chipped tooth. During this time, Reed’s extensive criminal history was under scrutiny, which included a 2020 conviction for arson.
Gumira argued that Reed posed a significant risk not just to the social worker, but also to others in the community. His attorney, Nicholas Yanias, pointed out that Reed had struggled with mental illness for 26 years, which contributed to his behaviors, insisting that he needs treatment rather than incarceration.
The judge ultimately decided against a more drastic measure, citing the constraints of the law, and mandated Reed to avoid hospitals unless absolutely necessary while being electronically monitored. Curiously, Reed was permitted to leave home for 40 hours a week—more than what’s typically allowed under the state’s SAFE-T law.
Later, a request by Reed’s attorney to adjust his schedule for church activities was approved, yet the charge against him for the earlier assault was upgraded to aggravated felony less than a month after his release.
On November 15, several instances of Reed violating his curfew were documented, including on the day of the train incident. In court, Reed was ultimately indicted on federal terrorism charges related to the train attack and agreed to stay in custody during the trial.
In his own defense, he expressed feelings of insecurity and stated, “I don’t feel safe in society.” Federal prosecutors argued for his confinement without bail, citing his lengthy criminal record, which includes 72 arrests and 15 convictions.
Notably, Reed had previously been convicted of setting a fire in April 2020 near the Thompson Center in Chicago but did not serve prison time, receiving only probation instead.
A spokesperson for the Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge’s Office commented that judges cannot discuss ongoing cases.
