Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez - Lawrence Reed CTA Arson Case (2025)
Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez - Lawrence Reed CTA Arson Case (2025) — Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez released a man with 49 prior arrests on an ankle monitor; he subsequently set a woman on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train.
Summary
Lawrence Reed, a Chicago-area man with 49 prior arrests, was detained in August 2025 after assaulting a social worker. Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied prosecutors' petition to detain Reed, instead releasing him on an ankle monitor despite his extensive criminal history. Prosecutors had specifically requested that Reed be held in custody given the risk he posed to public safety.
After his release, Reed boarded a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train and set a woman on fire. Surveillance footage released as part of the court proceedings showed the victim—identified as MaGee—engulfed in flames, attempting to extinguish the fire by rolling on the ground. When the train stopped at the Clark and Lake station, she managed to exit the train before collapsing on the platform. Reed allegedly walked away from the scene.
Following the attack, Cook County Chief Judge launched a formal review of the pretrial release decision. The case drew widespread national condemnation. Judge Molina-Gonzalez was identified as a Democrat who had run unopposed in her most recent judicial election. Commentators called for accountability for judges whose release decisions directly result in subsequent violent crimes. The Cook County Chief Judge's review was announced on November 26, 2025.
Key Details
- Date: August 2025 (original arrest); CTA arson attack November 2025; Cook County Chief Judge review launched November 26, 2025
- Location: Chicago, Illinois (CTA train, Clark and Lake station)
- Key People: Lawrence Reed (defendant, 49 prior arrests); MaGee (victim, set on fire); Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez (Cook County, Democrat); Cook County Chief Judge (unnamed in sources)
- Outcome: Reed charged with arson/terror attack on mass transit; Cook County Chief Judge launched review of the pretrial release decision; victim suffered serious burns