Liberal Judges and Accountability

Judges who opt not to incarcerate violent criminals and deeply disturbing individuals should face consequences when those offenders harm innocent people.

Recently, two shocking and unprovoked attacks on vulnerable young women using public transport could have been avoided if the justice system functioned properly.

Instead, a BLM-inspired focus on compensatory justice seems to put at risk those who are most defenseless: women, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. We count on police and judges to keep dangerous predators away from those who can’t protect themselves. However, radical politicians in certain cities are pushing a harmful ideology, aiming to defund the police, shut down prisons, and appoint compliant judges who side with offenders instead of victims.

Meanwhile, law-abiding individuals who dare to defend themselves—or, in the case of Good Samaritan Daniel Penny, protect others—often find themselves arrested or facing legal consequences. For example, Charles Fehner, a senior citizen from Queens, received a four-year prison sentence for shooting a robber.

“Barbaric”

Two distressing incidents in recent months illustrate a troubling shift in the law-and-order approach adopted by Democrats during the pandemic and the George Floyd protests of 2020.

Bethany McGee, a 26-year-old woman, suffered severe burns last week after being doused with gasoline and set on fire on a Chicago train. The attack, labeled as “savage and premeditated,” was carried out by a repeat offender with 72 prior arrests, including convictions for aggravated arson and multiple felonies.

The suspect, Lawrence Reed, 50, reportedly taunted McGee, saying, “Burn me alive, bitch!” as he ignited her. Reed had previously been deemed too dangerous for a locked psychiatric facility after allegedly attacking a social worker, but Cook County Judge Teresa Molina Gonzalez released him with an ankle monitor, trusting he would adhere to a curfew.

Predictably, he did not.

Prosecutors had warned against Reed’s release, stating that electronic monitoring “does not protect communities from dangerous individuals.” However, Judge Molina Gonzalez dismissed this concern, stating she couldn’t keep everyone in prison just because the state attorney wished it.

At the time of the attack on McGee, Reed had reportedly violated his curfew by 12 hours. Now charged with terrorism, it’s all too late for her.

McGee, a devoted animal lover with a church-going background, comes from a tight-knit family in Indiana who has requested privacy while she recovers in a hospital. Her social media reflects a vibrant young woman who once enjoyed life and family.

This incident follows closely on the heels of a similarly brutal murder in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a serial killer fatally slashed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Irina Zalutka, who was simply heading home from her job.

Like Reed, the suspect, DeCarlos Brown Jr., 34, is a seasoned criminal with a long rap sheet, including assault and armed robbery. Also, like Reed, he has a documented mental illness.

The leniency shown to criminals seems deeply rooted in a Democratic-driven justice system, set on addressing historical wrongs via racial approaches to incarceration.

Since the pandemic and subsequent protests, terms like “jailbreak” have become common, even if most people are unaware of them. These policies aim to release incarcerated individuals, prevent new incarcerations, and close correctional facilities.

This trend mirrors past deinstitutionalization, which led to increased homelessness. Now, it appears that allowing violent criminals to roam freely is the next step.

Federal Law Under Scrutiny

In recent years, the rise in violent offenders has outpaced any willingness to keep them behind bars.

To complicate matters, the Biden administration has allowed millions of illegal immigrants into the country, including known criminals released from prisons in their own countries, further threatening public safety.

As the number of criminals rises, Democrats have celebrated reduced prison populations, while those in America’s underprivileged communities find themselves competing for resources with a newly expanded class of low-wage workers, made possible through taxpayer-funded services.

This has left America’s underclass more significant, frustrated, and overlooked, while the criminal class has grown unchecked.

In North Carolina, lawmakers are beginning to hold judges accountable for releasing repeat offenders who subsequently harm others.

Legislation on a federal level is also under consideration.

Perhaps it’s overdue.

After all, police officers and doctors face repercussions for their errors. Maybe judges would approach their decisions with more urgency if they knew they could face consequences for their reckless actions.