A Chicago judge is confronting intense public scrutiny after she authorised the release of a career criminal with 72 prior arrests, who then allegedly committed a horrific arson attack on a woman aboard a train just weeks later.
The Controversial Release
Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez freed Lawrence Reed, 50, in August despite prosecutors' explicit warnings that he presented a clear danger to the public. The release pertained to a separate felony case where Reed was accused of slapping a social worker with such force that she was rendered unconscious inside a hospital psychiatric ward.
During the August 22nd hearing, Prosecutor Jerrilyn Gumila vehemently argued against Reed's release, stating that electronic monitoring was 'wholly insufficient' to protect the community. 'It could not protect the victim or the community from another vicious, random, and spontaneous attack,' Gumila told the court, according to transcripts. Judge Molina-Gonzalez, however, resisted these urgings, reportedly telling prosecutors, 'I can't keep everybody in jail because the state's attorney wants me to.'
A Horrific Alleged Attack
The prosecutor's fears were tragically realised mere weeks later. On November 17, Reed is accused of approaching Bethany Magee, 26, a complete stranger, on a Chicago metro train. Investigators allege he doused her in petrol and set her alight in a random, unprovoked assault.
US Attorney Andrew Boutros confirmed the attack's random nature, stating Magee was simply on her phone when Reed approached. A criminal affidavit alleges Reed repeatedly yelled 'burn alive b***h' during the horrifying incident. Surveillance footage shows Magee desperately trying to escape her attacker.
Widespread Outrage and Political Fallout
The shocking attack and Reed's extensive criminal history, which includes a 2020 arson conviction, ignited immediate outrage. Billionaire Elon Musk led the public criticism, posting on X that it is 'incredibly cruel of so many judges to push murderous thugs on the innocent public!' His post, which included a quote from Adam Smith—'Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent'—was viewed over 24 million times in a single day.
The case also drew political commentary, with the Trump Administration seizing on it to bolster its argument for deploying the National Guard to Chicago. A White House spokeswoman called the crime a tragic result of 'Democrat control,' while the Transport Secretary stated the attack 'should never have happened' and highlighted the dangers of letting repeat offenders roam free.
Reed is now being held without bail and is facing charges including terrorism for the alleged attack on Magee.
