Republicans say Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act is broken, needs fixed
[May 16, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans are calling for changes to
the state’s Pretrial Fairness Act after a man accused of concealing a
dead body in a trashcan for nearly two months was released from jail
pending trial.
Megan Bos went missing in March. Her mother Jennifer said not knowing
where she was, she and the community put out flyers calling for
information. A Mexican national was then arrested for concealment of her
body in Waukegan.
“He ignored the flyers. There were flyers everywhere with her face on
them. He didn’t care about what we were going through,” Jennifer said.
Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez was charged with four felonies, including
concealment of a body, but was released pending trial under the Pretrial
Fairness Act. Mendoza-Gonzalez told police that Megan, whom he knew,
visited and started taking drugs. Mendoza-Gonzalez told police that he
found her dead from an overdose and was scared.
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, said Mendoza-Gonzalez’s
charges aren’t detainable offenses under the law and that needs to
change.
“What I think is important is we need to make sure … the detention net
includes all offenses that are felony offenses if we’re going to keep
this system,” Windhorst said, noting he and other Republicans want to
see the law ended all together, and to return to a cash bail system.
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Illinois state Reps. Tom Weber, R-Fox Lake, Patrick Windhorst,
R-Metropolis, and Patrick Sheehan, R-Lockport, stand with Jennifer
Bos (not pictured) to propose changes to Illinois' Pretrial Fairness
Act which ended cash bail statewide. BlueRoomStream
The Pretrial Fairness Act was part of the Safety Accountability
Fairness and Equity-Today, or SAFE-T, Act that passed during a lame
duck session in January 2023. After lawsuits from county prosecutors
from across the state, the Pretrial Fairness Act was enacted when
the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the measure, allowing it to go
into effect in September 2023, effectively ending cash bail
statewide, the first state in the nation to do so.
State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, supports the Pretrial Fairness
Act.
“I’ve always said this since 2021, I’m ready to listen to my
colleagues and not just have them pontificate about what was wrong
with it,” Buckner said. “But if there are things they think can be
better and they have some examples, my door is always open.”
Windhorst said he has had some conversations with Democrats about
changes he said are needed, but they, as the majority party, need to
act.
“It’s just a matter of holding hearings, considering legislation and
passing it,” he said.
Mendoza-Gonzalez is a Mexican national and faces concealment of a
body and other felonies. |
