Outrage Erupts After Police Reveal Suspect in Woman's Murder Had Just Been Released from Jail Despite Facing 5 Charges
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin joins a growing legion of New Yorkers who are furious about the rampant crime waves being incentivized by the state’s cashless bail laws.
“When do we say it’s time to start sticking up for law-abiding New Yorkers instead of sticking up for criminals?” Zeldin said at a news conference on Thursday. “When is enough, enough?”
The former congressman was reacting to the tragic killing of Keaira Hudson, a 40-year-old mom who was shot to death in front of her three children on Wednesday.
Authorities were searching for her estranged husband, Adam Bennefield, in connection with the shooting.
A $2,500.00 reward is being offered for info leading to the arrest of Adam Bennefield who is wanted for questioning for a homicide on 10/22 in Buffalo. Bennefield is considered dangerous. pic.twitter.com/mRCMznsk6T
— Erie County Sheriff (@ECSONY1) October 6, 2022
When she was shot, Hudson was wearing a bulletproof vest because she was terrified of her spouse, whom family members said had a history of domestic violence, according to WKBW-TV in Buffalo.
The incident occurred in the township of Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo.
Tuesday, Keaira Hudson’s husband was arrested & charged with many new domestic violence charges after attacking her. He was instantly released on cashless bail. Yesterday, he shot & killed Keira in front of her 3 kids. She had on a bulletproof vest. pic.twitter.com/mrkHsIWFrW
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) October 7, 2022
Hudson was killed less than 24 hours after Bennefield was released from police custody. He had been charged with five misdemeanors, including assault, harassment and unlawful imprisonment, stemming from a previous domestic violence incident.
In a statement Thursday, Zeldin said Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul should repeal cashless bail laws to protect public safety.
“Kathy Hochul claims she needs more ‘data’ to repeal cashless bail and give judges discretion to weigh dangerousness. The reality is that there is a ton of data, and behind these data points are victims,” Zeldin said.
“In this case, three kids are going to grow up without a mother, because she was just murdered on a Wednesday by someone released from custody the day before due to cashless bail,” he said. “The judge did not have discretion to weigh dangerousness and keep the suspect detained. Hochul’s pandering to her pro-criminal allies just cost three kids a mother.”
Bennefield has a criminal record that includes spending 15 years in jail for the attempted kidnapping of two women, according to The Buffalo News.
Brian Gould, the police chief of Cheektowaga township, said he and a group of other police chiefs had met with local leaders to express their outrage at New York’s cashless bail law.
“New York State is the last state that doesn’t take into account the dangerousness of a defendant to the community when considering bail,” Gould said, according to the Buffalo News. “We hope that our elected officials consider those changes.”
As of Friday morning, Bennefield, who’s considered armed and dangerous, remained at large.
Numerous Twitter users expressed disgust at Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies, which have made everyone less safe.
Getting rid of bail isn’t a fringe position–even the Biden White House supports it!
Today’s Democratic party is hopelessly soft on crime. https://t.co/He5N5mw4n7
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) October 7, 2022
Government really has one job. Security. When governments set conditions that put citizens in mortal danger, they are derelict of duty. New York is corrupted nearly beyond repair. The best hope is to get in a new governor who thinks different. @leezeldin https://t.co/bfzJw1aIj3
— Sir Eric (@ejswensson) October 7, 2022
Dems’ War On Women continues https://t.co/JtgoM2lgEz
— Keith Maniac, from Guatemala (@from_maniac) October 7, 2022
This is #KathyHocul‘s & AG #LetitiaJames idea of #ReformativeJustice. https://t.co/4pYA7O5vZs
— Milo™ (@chasbottom) October 7, 2022
New York’s no-bail law has been an unmitigated disaster as crime continues to escalate in liberal cities across the blue state.
In February, a career criminal who had been arrested 44 times for violent offenses (including 14 arrests in one day) was charged after allegedly beating a woman on a New York City subway.
The suspect has 44 previous arrests for violence and other offenses. https://t.co/0f8Yj2gTgO
— The Western Journal (@WestJournalism) February 13, 2022
That same month, another career criminal who was roaming free because of New York’s no-bail law was arrested for allegedly brutally stabbing a 35-year-old woman to death.
Christina Yuna Lee was stabbed to death by a homeless criminal who followed her into her apartment.
He had been previously RELEASED due to BAIL REFORM and skipped a court appearance.
When he was picked up for skipping court, he was RELEASE AGAIN. https://t.co/UeGXMz0rR7
— Michael Henry (@michaelhenry4ag) February 14, 2022
The list of recidivists who are terrorizing the streets because of New York’s no-bail law gets longer by the day.
101 damnations: Meet the shoplifter with 101 arrests — and let go almost every time https://t.co/NPB4Fw34yC pic.twitter.com/vXV5QGlE4Z
— New York Post (@nypost) August 5, 2022
10 career criminals racked up nearly 500 arrests since NY bail reform began https://t.co/QBaUaHj1wX pic.twitter.com/HoVYnPSJ80
— New York Post (@nypost) August 3, 2022
There are simply no words to describe the shameful decay of American society thanks to Democrats’ toxic soft-on-crime policies.
It is telling that Democrat-run cities nationwide have experienced unprecedented spikes in violent crimes, with many setting records for their bloody body counts.
We shouldn’t have to live like this.
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