A celebrity-backed bail reform charity has shut down following what looks to have been a major misstep.
The Bail Project — a nonprofit reportedly backed by the likes of John Legend, Danny Glover, and Richard Branson — provides funds so the arrested financially unfortunate can be let out of jail. In the interest of social-justice discharge, the group ponied up a $3,000 bond last December so 24-year-old Rashawn Gaston-Anderson could be released.
Six days later, Rashawn showed his appreciation by pointing a gun at a restaurant worker. Firing once for each expression of gratitude, he indicated “Thank You” eleven times. Amid what’s suspected to have been a robbery attempt, seven of the corresponding rounds critically entered Shanghai Taste server Chengyan Wang. The employee was staying late in order to perform his weekly deep clean.
Evidently, Chengyan isn’t impressed with The Bail Project’s goodwill toward his would-be killer. Hence, as reported by Southern Nevada’s KLAS, he’s taking the group to court:
The victim…filed a lawsuit against Gaston-Anderson, the shopping plaza where the near-fatal shooting occurred, and The Bail Project in September. The lawsuit refers to Gaston-Anderson’s criminal history and how still, The Bail Project posted his bond.
Per the New York Post, Rashawn’s path to attempted murder wasn’t short:
In 2018, he pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in Las Vegas and was sentenced to 18 months of probation.
The following year, he was convicted of felony burglary in New York, and in 2021 he was convicted of auto theft in Illinois, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told the news outlet.
In November 2021, he also was arrested for pandering and carrying a concealed weapon, 8 NewsNow reported.
He reportedly was released without bail and ordered to stay out of trouble.
However, he was arrested again the following day on burglary and theft charges.
Then The Bail Project stepped in. Such stepping has become progressively popular:
Kamala Harris Backed Bail Fund Released Man Now Charged With Murder, Again
Texas Police Officer Killed By Suspects Who Were Released On Low Bail
NYC Mayor Adams Rips Bail Laws After Bat Attacker Quickly Sprung From Jail
WATCH: Kamala Harris Blatantly Lies About Her Promotion of Fund That Paid Bail of Violent Criminals
Back to the lawsuit, MSN deals details:
Having suffered permanent consequences from the incident, Wang is now suing The Bail Project for more than $15,000 in damages. He is also suing Shanghai Plaza owner U.S. Hui De Real Estate Investment Corp., as well as Gaston-Anderson himself, each for the same amount.
The Bail Project has since stopped its Las Vegas operations.
But:
In a statement to Deadline, [the organization] denied that its Las Vegas closure was related to Wang’s suit. Instead, the move was reportedly part of an “ongoing recalibration” that occurred earlier this month.
Per its website, The Project is based on the idea that the legal system shouldn’t criminalize “race and poverty.”
That’s a reasonable idea. There also once existed another sensible concept, one that appears to have lost a degree of enthusiastic embrace: Some people put in jail…should be in jail.
In November, Rashawn pleaded guilty to felony mayhem and attempted robbery with a weapon. He was sentenced to seven-to-18 years in prison.
-ALEX
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