In late August, DeCarlos Brown Jr. brutally murdered a Ukrainian refugee on the CATS Light Rail system while out on bail from a previous crime in January.
Brown was arrested in January for misuse of the 911 emergency system during a welfare check and appeared in front of Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes. Brown is a homeless, schizophrenic man who told officers he believed “man-made” material was implanted in his body, controlling his movements. Stokes released Brown in January, with the stipulation of a written promise to appear back in court.
Brown was met by police for a welfare check, and when the police told him that this was a medical matter and left. Brown called 911 again and told them to come back and arrest him for a misdemeanor according to an affidavit from the court.
“Brown wanted officers to investigate this ‘man-made’ material that was inside of his body,” the affidavit said. “Officers advised Brown that the issue was a medical issue and that there was nothing further they could do.” Despite his past arrests ranging all the way back to 2011, Stokes still released Brown without bond.
Brown’s mother, who spoke anonymously with local news, said the system that released her son, despite his criminal record and history of aggressive behavior, was “broken” and “failed,” according to Newsweek. (RELATED: Evers Vetoes Crime Bill on Probation, Parole, and Extended Supervision)
Stokes also has ties to a rehabilitation center in the area for people such as Brown. In a recently deleted Bold.Pro account, Stokes says she became a Magistrate judge a mere 5 months before becoming the Director of Operations for Second Chance Services.
“This is a behavioral health clinic and we serve the community for people suffering from substance abuse and mental issues. This has nothing to do with Teresa Stokes. This has nothing to do with the law. This is a different entity,” said Second Chance Services via Facebook.
According to the Washington Examiner, legal experts said that even absent verified current ties to Second Chance, Stokes’s advocacy background raises serious concerns about the appearance of conflicts when ruling on mental health-related cases. (RELATED: Wisconsin University Falls Victim to Wave of Active Shooter Hoaxes)
