Repeat Offender Freed, Sets Woman on Fire

A repeat offender with 72 arrests set a young woman on fire aboard a Chicago train after a judge denied his detention under Illinois’ controversial SAFE-T Act, exposing the deadly risks of no-cash-bail policies.

Story Highlights

Lawrence Reed, with 72 arrests and 15 convictions, assaulted a nurse in August 2025 but stayed free on electronic monitoring due to SAFE-T Act restrictions.
In November 2025, Reed allegedly set 26-year-old Bethany MaGee ablaze on a Chicago “L” train, charging him with terrorism and arson.
Top Illinois Democrats now signal openness to narrow amendments amid public safety backlash, awaiting a Cook County judicial report.
Critics, including law enforcement and Republicans, demand overhaul to protect communities from dangerous repeat offenders.

The Attack That Shocked Chicago

Lawrence Reed allegedly set 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on fire aboard a Chicago “L” train in November 2025. Prosecutors charged him with terrorism and arson. At the time, Reed remained free under the SAFE-T Act’s pretrial release system on electronic monitoring. This brutal public attack on a stranger highlighted failures in the no-cash-bail framework that critics say prioritizes offenders over victims.

Repeat Offender Ignored by the System

State’s attorneys petitioned to detain Reed in August 2025 after he allegedly assaulted a nurse at a Berwyn hospital. A Cook County judge denied the request under SAFE-T Act rules. Reed’s record included 72 arrests over 30 years and 15 convictions, such as a 2020 arson outside the Thompson Center. Electronic monitoring allowed him two free movement days weekly, undermining public safety measures.

Illinois law mandates the least restrictive pretrial conditions for nonviolent cases, often favoring monitoring over jail. This approach replaced cash bail, which ended January 1, 2023, aiming to end wealth-based detention but enabling high-risk individuals to roam free.

SAFE-T Act’s Origins and Flaws

The SAFE-T Act passed in January 2021 amid post-George Floyd reform pushes led by the legislative Black Caucus. Its Pretrial Fairness Act eliminated cash bail, shifting to risk assessments based on offense, history, and flight risk. Proponents claimed it fixed a two-tiered system disadvantaging the poor. Yet high-profile reoffenses like Reed’s fuel arguments that it endangers communities by limiting judges’ detention powers.

Loyola University data from October 2025 showed statewide pretrial jail populations dropped 7%, but Cook County jails rose 2%, and total pretrial supervision grew 17%. Critics contend this swaps jail for inadequate monitoring, failing to deter violence.

Democratic Backpedaling Amid Pressure

In January 2026, Gov. JB Pritzker and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch expressed openness to targeted SAFE-T Act changes this spring, pending a Cook County judicial report. Sen. Elgie Sims defends the law, citing safer communities and calling for mental health funds instead. Republicans push broader fixes, like detaining all felons and ending free movement for monitored offenders.

Illinois' SAFE-T Act Claims Another Victim, Sets Alleged Suspect Loose Again https://t.co/Gft7ZRVuOD

— Jim Sheehy (@JimSheehy1) February 4, 2026

Law enforcement decries restricted detention authority, pointing to multiple reoffense cases. Victims like MaGee amplify calls for reform prioritizing public safety over lenient release. As President Trump secures borders nationwide, Illinois’ saga warns against soft-on-crime policies that embolden criminals and betray American families.