CUYAHOGA COUNTY—The Judge who released Bionca Ellis, 32, charged with the murder of 3-year-old Julian Wood, previously sued the City of Cleveland over police shooting a suspect who allegedly reached for an officer’s gun and served on a task force that aimed to keep more offenders out of jail.
Court documents reveal controversial Judge Brian Hagan's previous advocacy for dangerous criminals. In 2007, Hagan sued Cleveland, alleging wrongful death and excessive force after police shot Laray Renshaw in a Cleveland apartment building, after he apparently reached for an officer’s weapon during a drug arrest and chase.
Hagan also served on a "Task Force to Examine Bail." The Task Force called for courts to "consider all alternatives to pretrial detention." Three-year-old Julian Wood has now paid with his life.
Two-tiered justice
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Judge Brian Hagan sparked outrage releasing a mentally unstable woman who went on to kill a 3-year-old boy
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Hagan also previously sued Cleveland for wrongful death when officers shot a man who reached for an officer’s firearm
- Social media darkness: Hagan apparently disabled his LinkedIn profile amidst a wave of criticism
Anarchy in Cuyahoga County
Hagan’s previous advocacy for a threatening suspect in Hagan vs. Cleveland casts his release of Ellis in sharp relief. Hagan’s suit alleged excessive force on the part of police officers who were threatened when the suspect reached for a firearm. Now, Hagan is under scrutiny for releasing Ellis, who went on to kill a young boy at a Giant Eagle Supermarket.
Hagan sparked outrage after it came to light he released Ellis, who officials warned posed mental health risks, days before she killed a young boy crossing a supermarket parking lot with his mother in North Olmsted.
Hagan had apparently disabled his LinkedIn profile Wednesday afternoon in a hail of criticism as outraged Ohioans demanded answers.
Hagan had released Ellis from custody only days before she stabbed the 3-year-old boy and his mother as they left a Giant Eagle supermarket. Graphic CCTV footage shows Ellis carrying a large knife, groceries strewn on the ground, and what appears to be blood on the asphalt.
The 3-year-old Wood succumbed to his injuries shortly after the stabbing. His mother sustained serious injuries.
Ellis appeared before Hagan only days before, and officials had recommended she undergo mental health evaluation. Hagan released her anyway, telling Fox News he wouldn’t have done anything differently. In spite of officials’ mental health warning, Hagan said there were no “red flags,” and she would have had to spend days waiting in jail on the screening.
Meanwhile, Ohioans aired their outrage on Hagan’s Google site, posting the boy's picture.
Hagan’s profile on the Rocky River Municipal Court website states he served on the board of Jesuit organizations and social justice causes such as Catholic Charities of Cleveland. He ran for his seat unopposed. His term ends in 2025.
The shocking turn of events has Ohioans wondering: if judges and courts can’t keep a mentally unstable person from killing a child running errands with his mother, and its judges previously sued police under threat on the job, can the criminal justice system function?
