Criminals have the upper hand, law abiding citizens have to deal with the consequences. Shame.
The Bail Project paid for a repeat offender's release from jail over his family’s objections, and he is now accused of killing someone just days later.
Donnie Allen allegedly murdered 27-year-old Benjamin McComas at a Cleveland light rail station around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, according to Fox 8. Allen was charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, felonious assault and having weapons while under disability.
Court records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Allen was charged with drug possession, breaking and entering, vandalism, obstructing official business and possessing criminal tools in relation to a separate incident at a Cleveland light rail station on Dec. 4.
While his bond was initially set at $15,000, Judge Joy Kennedy lowered it to $5,000 on Dec. 8. The Bail Project, a nonprofit, then provided $500 for Allen to be bonded out of the Cuyahoga County Jail. Just five days later, Allen was arrested for the alleged murder of McComas.
Two family members, who asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital that The Bail Project contacted them on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. The family members said that they warned that Allen should not be released because he would continue to reoffend and needs professional help or to remain incarcerated.
Fox News Digital obtained a voicemail left for one family member in which a representative for The Bail Project said she met with Donnie and wanted to discuss the organization posting his bail.
"No this is not a good idea. You guys should just leave him where he is, because he's been in and out and in and out of jail multiple times. He needs rehabilitation not release," a family member told The Bail Project. "And they just dismissed it."
"We knew that he would end up in [jail] anyway, because he does break into people's cars and whatnot. We just, we've always wanted the best for him. Whenever he starts doing good, he self-sabotages and just ends up back in jail. And that's the reason why we felt the need to let them know that they shouldn't post his bail," the family member told Fox News Digital. "I just feel like the whole situation could have been avoided and a life would be living had they listened to what we had to say when they asked."