Judge faces threats after granting pretrial release to Rockford murder suspect

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Winnebago County’s chief judge condemned threats and harassment targeting a fellow judge who granted pretrial release to a murder suspect last week, warning that inflammatory public rhetoric, especially from elected officials, has endangered judicial safety and undermined the integrity of the courts.

On Tuesday, Winnebago County Circuit Court Chief Judge John Lowry issued a statement in response to threats and harassment Judge Heidi Augustsson has received following a courtroom decision to grant pretrial release to murder suspect Varianna Parsons, 20.

“Over the last several days, a judge in the 17th Judicial Circuit has received significant threats and harassment, which are being addressed in coordination with local law enforcement,” Lowry said. “These threats escalated when a public official (who was not present in court) made statements to the media that a judge’s ruling releasing a defendant from custody at the initial appearance court was ‘unacceptable’ and ‘negligent.’ The unintended consequence of the tone and content of these statements has had a real consequence of endangering the safety of the judge and her family.”

Parsons, along with Shawn Bunton Jr., 24, are both charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Kyle Stephens, 37, who was stabbed to death and found beneath the Whitman Street Bridge last Tuesday morning. Bunton Jr. is still at large.

Parsons was arrested on Tuesday and then released the following Wednesday, after a pretrial detention hearing presided over by Judge Augustsson.

According to Winnebago County States Attorney J. Hanley, “The court found that the legal standard for detention under the SAFE-T Act was not met and Parsons was released from custody.”

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara stated on Friday, following public outcry over the decision, saying, “Judge rulings such as this are, at best, disheartening and, at worst, negligent. This decision does not make our community safer. Our officers worked tirelessly and performed exceptional work to apprehend a murder suspect — only for that suspect to be released by a judge from the comfort of a courtroom. That is simply unacceptable.”

“The public official’s comment implied that the judge did not follow her oath of judicial office. Such statements crossed the line from expressing disagreement with a ruling to an attack on her judicial competence and integrity,” Lowry added.

“The current political climate includes all-time high threats, harassment, and violence against judges. Inflammatory rhetoric toward judges is a contributing factor. Fair criticism of a judge’s ruling should focus on the evidence presented in court and the applicable law. Motions to reconsider and the appellate process are the appropriate avenues to address disagreement. Judges should be allowed to make impartial decisions free from outside influence in order to preserve judicial independence- a cornerstone of our democracy,” he continued.

On Tuesday, October 14th, Hanley filed a “motion for relief (akin to a motion to reconsider) in which we will argue that the judge’s decision to release Parsons was in error and that Parsons should be held in jail while she awaits trial,” he said.

Parsons is due to appear for her next court hearing on November 13th.