Another success story for the advocates of bond reform in Harris County.
A Houston man is wanted for a murder that investigators say he committed while free on bond for another murder.
KHOU reports on the infuriating story of Gerald Washington who was freed on bond in 2018 for a murder charge despite “already being on probation for burglary in Harris County and on bond for a separate burglary in Fort Bend County.”
While free on bond for the 2018 murder charge, investigators believe he gunned down Reginald Larry, 29, back in February as Larry was sitting in his car outside a corner store on Scott Street and Loop 610 on the southside.
Crime Stopper Andy Kahan says by his count, there are 60 people who have been killed since 2018 by defendants out on multiple felony or PR bonds, meaning they do not have to post a cash bond to be released from jail.
He says “this was an ultimate tragedy but was so preventable if the system had, from our perspective, functioned properly. Bottom line, it stops with the district court."
The judge in Washington’s case, Ramona Franklin, refused to speak to KHOU.
Funny how you never hear any of these bond reform advocates speak out on these cases.