Texas teen accused of release of murder from prison after “brutally” reducing bonds
After a teenager accused of murder was released in police custody, his deposit was significantly reduced from $800,000 to $100 per charge.
Stephon Martin Morson, 19, was released from Travis County Jail Saturday after being released from Travis County Jail in Austin, Texas.
Morson was accused of shooting death of 20-year-old Keshawn Cage, and police found gunshot wounds in October.
Travis County Jail told Fox News Numbers that Morson was booked on November 6, 2024 and was charged with murder, tampering with/fabricating physical evidence.
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Stephon Martin Morson, 19, of Austin, Texas, was charged with murder but was withdrawn from prison after his bonds were reduced from $800,000 to $100 per charge. (Travis County Jail)
His margin was initially set at $800,000, but recently each fee dropped to $100, totaling $200, Morson (CBS Austin) first reported.
Michael Bullock, president of the Austin Police Association, told Fox News Digital that Morson’s punishment was “not enough”.
“For a man charged with murder, he has reduced his bonds so low that he can walk freely is a slap from the Austinians who have the potential to be the next victim. The revolving door of the violent criminal is constantly released back The streets of Austin That’s exactly why we’re seeing an increase in violent crime,” Brock said.
He added: “The District Attorney, the County Attorney and the judges here are clearly showing that they are not interested in taking care of the safety of Austinians or working with law enforcement. They are interested in their own political agenda. We have See the criminal. Released on Bond, although available, the real question is when is enough?”
Brock said this is not the first time that a Travis County judge and district judge have greatly reduced Bond for those accused of murder or sexual assault.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the reduction of Morson’s bond and its subsequent release as “outrageous.” (Brendan Bell/Getty Image)
“This is not exclusive to a judge. It happens in multiple different courts,” Bullock said. “We have some places where they may not be able to commit again, but then we have others who re-offer. When they have been charged,” he said. When people commit violent crimes, they fall into a bond and they murder others.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also commented on Morson’s release, calling the move “outrageous.”
“It’s really outrageous. That’s why I’ve made bail reform an emergency item,” Abbott wrote in an article on X.
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Texas Gov. Dan Patrick also supports Abbott and says he is ready to play a “hard ball” to prevent violent criminals from being released on bail at a special meeting last week to pass the bail reform plan.
Texas Gov. Dan Patrick advocates for a bail reform program currently in the state legislature and says violent offenders cannot be released under jail time on bonds. (Reuters/David ‘Dee’Delgado)
On Wednesday, the bill cleared the first of many obstacles to becoming the law. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted 6-0 to pass the bail reform plan.
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“I am grateful to Governor Abbott for announcing the urgent matters of bail reform in the current legislative session. Too many innocent people, whether citizens and law enforcement officers, have been targeted by criminals because of the irresponsible amount of bail, allowing violent criminals to be freely bailed due to irresponsible bail amounts. . ,” Brock said. “We are a country of law and order, but radical judges and prosecutors interested in their agenda rather than the law are eroding that principle.”
Advocates of crime victims in Texas have been trying to get stricter bail legislation on books for years, especially in certain situations involving serious crimes. Houston crime stopper Rania Mankarious said that over the past few years, many criminal offenders in Harris County have been released with low or no bonds, sometimes re-offered and sometimes violently.
Fox News Digital contacted the Travis County District Attorney’s Office but did not receive a response immediately.
Louis Casiano of Fox News Digital contributed to the report.
Stepheny Price is a writer at Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
