Houston man accused of kidnapping, assault released on $1 bond again
Director of Crime Stoppers in Houston Andy Kahan joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss why the repeat offender's release 'defies logic' and the broader public safety implications of the crime policies.
A Houston judge is being criticized after a Texas man with eight prior felony convictions was given a $1 bond after allegedly beating a woman over several days as he held her inside his car.
Andy Kahan, director of Crime Stoppers in Houston, is pushing for the Texas Legislative Session to pass a new bill to prevent violent criminals from getting out of jail with a "get out of jail free card."
Kahan joined "Fox & Friends First" Monday after the suspect was arrested again for allegedly threatening the same victim.
"We just passed a law last legislative session that basically said you can no longer give out PR bonds, personal reconnaissance bonds, or what we call 'get out of jail free cards.' So what this particular court said was, OK, I can't give you a PR bond. I'll just go ahead and make it a dollar for a total of $2," Kahan explained, saying it "simply defies logic."
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Aubrey Taylor, 43, was granted the low bond on Jan. 13 by 232nd Criminal District Court Judge Josh Hill, FOX26 Houston reported.
Taylor was arrested again on Jan. 18 for violating those orders and threatening the victim.
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Kahan called for a new bill to place a "minimum mandate" so defendants who are charged with violent crimes must face a more expensive bail.
Kahan said that in addition to the two violent offenses that Taylor is now charged with, he has eight prior felony convictions, two of them for robbery.
Citing court documents, Fox 26 reported that Hill set the bond at $1 to show how he felt about the state’s law that requires those accused of violent crimes to put up cash to get released on their own personal recognizance (PR).
In 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation, effectively getting rid of cashless release.
Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
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