Federal authorities have stepped in to detain a 50-year-old Chicago man accused of setting a woman on fire aboard a CTA Blue Line train, arguing that Illinois’ cashless bail system failed to restrain a repeat violent offender.
Lawrence Reed now faces federal charges of terrorism against a mass transit system after prosecutors say he doused a woman with gasoline and ignited it on November 17. The victim remains hospitalized with severe burns.
The attack has reignited controversy surrounding the SAFE-T Act, the 2021 law that made Illinois the first U.S. state to eliminate cash bail. The legislation emphasizes pretrial release conditions—like electronic monitoring—instead of monetary bond.
Released Despite Long Violent Record
Court documents show Reed was free under pretrial conditions at the time of the CTA attack. His criminal background spans three decades, including 72 arrests and eight felony convictions…