Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzales was retained by voters in Tuesday’s election by a margin of 71 percent, despite her earlier decision to grant pretrial release to a man now facing federal charges in connection with setting a woman on fire aboard a CTA Blue Line train.
Last year, Molina-Gonzales overruled prosecutors and released Lawrence Reed, a convicted felon with more than 70 prior arrests, placing him on an ankle monitor in connection with a separate violent incident. Months later, Reed allegedly attacked 26-year-old Bethany MaGee without warning as she rode the Blue Line, dousing her with a flammable liquid and shouting, “Burn alive, bitch!” according to news reports. MaGee suffered critical burns over half her body.
A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted Reed in December on terrorism and arson charges for the train attack, as well as for allegedly setting fire to Chicago City Hall three days before the attack on MaGee. Reed’s record includes 72 prior arrests, eight felony convictions and seven misdemeanors, according to the White House, which has cited the case in criticizing Chicago’s no-cash-bail policies.
MaGee spoke publicly for the first time on Wednesday, after her family learned of the judge’s reelection. “I hope the women of Chicago will be kept safe from attacks by repeat offenders,” she said in a statement.
Amy Eck, another woman who says she was attacked by Reed in 2021, described being punched in the face outside her office building in what she said appeared to be a random assault. “I mean, just based on that alone, no, that poor girl, I mean, that judge is lucky she didn’t die,” Eck said.
MaGee’s family told CBS News Chicago two months ago that she was “progressing slowly but steadily” from her injuries.
Why voters may not have known
University of Chicago political science professor John Mark Hansen said judicial retention races rarely draw close scrutiny from the public. “Judicial elections are what’s known in the political science business as ‘low information elections,'” he told CBS, adding that most voters have little time or motivation to research individual judges before casting a ballot.
Hansen said he personally relies on bar association recommendations. “I have a rule where I look up to the recommendation of the bar associations and see if there are any of them that are not recommended, and I vote against them.”
Molina-Gonzales received a “qualified” rating for retention from a bar association, CBS reported. Asked why the group gave that rating given the Reed case, the association said: “A judge’s ruling in a particular case can certainly be part of the public discussion, but one decision — or media coverage of that decision — does not necessarily provide a complete picture of a judge’s qualifications to serve.”
