Judge Takes $100,000.00 Cash From Bail Fund After Defendant Rearrested

 

The Louisville Community Bail Fund has drawn attention after bailing out a man charged with attempted murder of Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg on a $100,000 bond.

According to a WAVE Troubleshooter investigation, a Jefferson Circuit Court judge ruled to take the group’s money back after the person they bailed out was arrested again. Their attorney told WAVE that a person posting a bond should not be penalized if the terms are broken, but the judge disagreed.

The Louisville Community Bail Fund, or LCBF, was the subject of exclusive WAVE Troubleshooter investigations before it was revealed that the organization was posting high bonds for people accused of violent crimes such as domestic violence, rape, and even murder, according to court records. Most recently, the LCBF posted a $100,000 bond for Quintez Brown, who allegedly opened fire inside Greenberg’s office in an attempt to kill him.

Brown, who was once known as a social justice activist who spoke out against gun violence, has now been charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of wanton endangerment.

The woman who handed over Brown’s bond check and signed on the dotted line promising Brown would follow the judge’s conditions is the same woman who testified in another defendant’s hearing about whether they should lose the bond money.

“I am in charge of the bail logistics,” Savannah Ferrell told Judge Susan Gibson.

Ferrell identified herself as an LCBF volunteer. According to court records, she was also the surety who paid Aljermaine Foy’s $100,000 bond after he pleaded guilty to criminal attempted murder and assault in 2019. However, before Foy could be sentenced in that case, St. Matthews police arrested him again for allegedly assaulting and strangling his girlfriend.

Ferrell said she only posts the money and that it is up to the group, led by Black Lives Matter Louisville leader Chanelle Helm, to decide who gets bail.

“When you all are making your decisions on who to bail out, does anybody come to court to view the actual court filings, things of that nature?” Gibson asked her.

“Um, they don’t come to court, they look through what they can find on CourtNet and make those decisions themselves,” Ferrell responded.

According to court records, at the time, Foy had three prior felony convictions and ten misdemeanor convictions, including robbery, multiple assaults, several counts of wanton endangerment, theft, and probation violations.

Ferrell told the judge that LCBF assisted Foy in finding housing, a job, and mental health care.

“And just be there for whatever he would need like transportation services, anything,” she said.

However, the social worker assigned to him vanished, according to Ferrell.

Foy’s attorney, Kevin Glogower, said the person posting the bond should not be penalized if the defendant violates the terms. He believes the forms are out of date. He claimed in court that Ferrell was never told that if Foy violated the rules again, they would lose the money they put up to get him out.

“To the best of your knowledge did you just signs some papers give them the money and they gave you a copy of what you signed and a receipt?” Glogower asked.

“Yes,” Ferrell responded.

Among other conditions for the bond, the documents Ferrell signed state that the defendant must not commit any further violations of the law. On Feb. 18, the judge ruled that Ferrell and LCBF were aware of the conditions for posting the $100,000 bond for his release, forfeiting that money and making it state property.

The form signed by Ferrell also says, as stated in Judge Gibson’s order, “Violation of Conditions and/or failure to Appear: If you willingly fail to appear, fail to comply with the conditions of release, or otherwise fail to render yourself amendable to the orders and processes of the courts, the court may issue a warrant for your arrest and may order forfeiture of the bond.”

Glogower said that they are considering appealing the judge’s decision.

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