Life in Chicago keeps getting riskier as mayhem is inflicted by out-of-control thugs, resulting in a murder rate often compared to that of Baghdad or Kabul. Street crime and mob looting of shops spreads to the city’s showcase Magnificent Mile stores along Michigan Avenue. So what are purportedly public-spirited charities doing about it?

One charity supported by tax-deductible donations is freeing suspects detained on bail, which then benefits the public by…?

CWBChicago reports:

A man who is awaiting trial for attempted murder was arrested twice in Boystown this week—including once at the Center on Halsted. He had to be tazed one time, police said. The man, who had been in jail for nearly a year after allegedly stabbing a man in North Center, went free because a city charity opted to post his bail last month, records show.

Emanuel Smith, 19, is accused of repeatedly stabbing a then-19-year-old acquaintance during a fight that spilled into the traffic lanes at 4200 North Lincoln last June. Prosecutors charged him with attempted first-degree murder; aggravated battery with a deadly weapon; and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.

With bail set at $50,000, he remained in jail until last month. That’s when the Chicago Community Bond Fund put down $5,000 for him to go free, according to court records.

Boystown is Chicago’s best-known gay neighborhood, and it turns out that the first new crime Smith is charged with involves battering a “a 45-year-old employee of the Center on Halsted, the LGBTQ service agency.” Hate crime?

But, even though Smith had violated terms of his bail, instead of being jailed he was released on recognizance bond. This was an error, but probably was because of the terms of the 2017 Illinois Bail Reform Act, which provides for a presumption that recognizance bond (i.e., no bail) be allowed. In order for a $50k bail to have been required for Smith on his attempted murder charge, he would have had to be demonstrated to be an active threat to the community.

So, still free, Smith went out and got himself arrested again, the very same day!

…around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, Smith and 18-year-old Aaliyah Brown of West Town were arrested after they got into an altercation with a man in the 800 block of West Sheridan Road, police said.

A 22-year-old man told police that he was arguing with Smith and Brown when Brown threatened to use her Taser on the victim.

A witness told CWBChicago that Brown “was really mouthy with a trans woman. She kept threatening to shoot the trans woman in the face.”

So, another LGBTQ victim was allegedly targeted.

Police search Brown

(photo from CWBChicago)

Both Brown and Smith are in custody for now, pending possible further posting of bail by the public-spirited charity:

She is charged with unlawful use of a knife; aggravated assault; and unlawful use of a weapon on a public street. Judge Joanne Rosado set bail at $5,000.

Smith was charged with aggravated assault on a public street. Rosado set his bail at $20,000 and a violation of bail petition was filed in the attempted murder case, according to court records. Smith listed The Crib youth shelter at 835 West Addison as his home.

I thought charities were supposed to try to make life better for the communities they serve.

Hat tip: Peter von Buol