Illinois law ‘will release those charged with second-degree murder without bail’

An Illinois law that goes into effect on January 1, 2023 is perhaps the most progressive and destructive criminal reform bill. Criminals charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery and arson will be released without bail in the liberal state.

Called the SAFE-T Act, it ends cash bail and “includes 12 non-detainable offences, second-degree murder, aggravated battery and arson without bail, as well as drug-induced homicide, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, intimidation, aggravated DUI, aggravated fleeing and eluding, drug offences and threatening a public official” reports The Counter Signal.

“All these crimes will become non-detainable offences after the act takes effect on January 1, meaning criminals will be charged with and released for these crimes without bail.”

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has come out harshly criticizing the Act, saying it will be the “end of days” once the law takes effect. Will County is the second largest county of the 6-county Chicago metro region.

The bill “will destroy the city and the state of Illinois,” Glasgow said on July 16. “I don’t even understand (how) the people who support it can’t realize that.”

The law not only makes it easier for criminals to go free, but also harder to become criminals in the first place by restricting justifications for arrest. “For example, those accused of trespassing can be ticketed but not arrested once the law takes effect.

Glasgow said he, police, and judges will all have their ‘hands tied’ once the law takes effect” the report adds.

Glasgow specified that all 640 people currently being held in the Will County jail would have their bonds extinguished after January 1 “including 60 people charged with murder.”

Glasgow lamented he will not be able to hold anyone in jail for a period longer than 90 days if they demand a trial, and after the 90th day, they’ll get out “no matter what crime they committed.”

“What you see in Chicago, we’ll have here,” he warned, adding the electorate must demand those running for election in November to repeal the bill.

Glasgow also said legislators only had two days to read and digest the 800-page bill, meaning no one understands it.

“You’ve got legislators who aren’t lawyers, you’ve got legislators who weren’t criminal lawyers,” he said. “Trying to read all that in two days. It was impossible.”