Washington- Nonprofit's Work to Bail Out Violent, Repeat Offenders Draws Scrutiny From Victims' Family

 

Grieving families are outraged that some violent, repeat offenders are getting bailed out of jail, only to commit more crimes.

A community bail fund that helps indigent defendants is behind some of those releases, and relatives of the victims said they want some kind of accountability.

The frustrated family members told KOMO News that they are sympathetic to suspects who really need and deserve help to come up with baily money in order to be released before their trial. However, they said it is unfair and dangerous to release violent offenders, some of whom go on to commit new crimes.

For the family of Anthony Gonzalez, who was known as Gonzo, his relatives said they still are grappling with a profound feeling of loss since he was slain at a Seattle homeless encampment.

His son, James, said he learned his father had had been murdered when he went to visit him at the Delridge homeless camp on June 20.

Gonzo Gonzalez, 56, died after being shot in the face with a shotgun, Seattle police have said.

“He was just, he was such a good person, he really was," James Gonzalez said. "He was just down on his luck."

Someone at the camp ran to Kayla Awford’s apartment nearby to call 911 after the shooting.

“He was the one that shouldn’t have left, and he left too soon," she said. "He was legitimately a good person."

Police have accused Jaycee Thompson of barging into Anthony Gonzalez’s structure before fatally shooting him during a crime spree.

According to court records, Thompson has nine felony convictions, including assault and theft, and 25 prior arrests.

Court records show in April that Thompson was charged with felony motor vehicle theft, but the Northwest Community Bail Fund later paid for his bail in order for him to be released

A few months later, Thompson, 43, is now charged with the murder of Gonzalez.

“When someone has a repeat offense on their record, I feel like that should be a red flag," Awford said. "And at that point, people shouldn’t get bail and they do. It’s absurd. Nobody should ever die like that."

The Northwest Community Bail Fund is a nonprofit group that works to bail poor accused defenders with donations from the public.

Text on the group's website suggests it wants the bail process to be overhauled.

“Northwest Community Bail Fund is dedicated to ending cash bail and pretrial detention in Washington State," the group's site says. "Our work assures that the most targeted and vulnerable are able to assert their legal right to the presumption of innocence and their constitutionally protected freedom from excessive bail.”

Some prolific violent repeat offenders are among the people the group has recently bailed out.

• In May, police say Kylan Houle broke into Damon Allen’s home in Skyway. Police say when Allen confronted the suspect, Houle allegedly shot the beloved father of four at point blank range after he had already fallen on the ground from previous shots allegedly fired by Houle. Months before the alleged murder, the fund put up the bail for Houle’s release on two pending felony gun charges. Houle is considered a “high priority repeat offender” who has racked up 20 past felony convictions, and also has a record of skipping court at least 50 times.
• Last June, Michael Sedejo was charged with stabbing Bradley Arabie to death at City Hall Park. A month before the deadly stabbing, Sedejo was in jail, charged with assault and robbery until Northwest Community Bail Fund paid his bail for his release.

“I would like to see transparency,” said Tiffany Attrill, the King County Violent Crime Advocate. "I would like to see Northwest Community Bail Fund care about victims.”

The King County Violent Crime Victim’s Advocate admits the bail system has flaws, but the victims Attrill works with want some kind of accountability.

From 2021 until February this year, King County prosecutors say the group bailed out at least 220 people.

About half were charged with non-violent crimes like theft of a motor vehicle and failing to register as a sex offender.

The other half were in jail awaiting trial for violent crimes that include offenses like rape, armed robbery and vehicular homicide.

“It’s devastating, it’s devastating,” Attrill said. “They don’t understand why the person is out of jail because clearly they’re a danger to the community.”

KOMO News asked officials with the Northwest Community Bail Fund how they decide who they should post bail in order to secure a release.

Leaders with the organization said bail is based on factors that include:

• Funding.
• How long a suspect is detained.
• Race and gender of the accused.
• If the person has children in the home,.
• If they’re at risk of losing their home.
• The most vulnerable suspects.

What they don't look at is the past or present charges: saying someone is “innocent until proven guilty.”

“What they don’t take into consideration are the charges the person is facing and the criminal history. And that is a concern,” Attrill said. “A predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”

Now a family is left mourning a father considered a loving bright light who about to go back to work in construction. A second chance that was lost.

“The best I can hope for is justice and prevention of something like this happening again,” said James Gonzalez.

Thompson faces several charges in connection with the death of Gonzo Gonzales, including second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree attempted robbery and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Thompson's arraignment was scheduled for July 7 at the King County Courthouse.

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