Cook County judge who released man that set woman on fire on CTA Blue Line train wins reelection

A Cook County judge who released the man accused of setting a 26-year-old woman on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train last year is now on track to keep her job for another six years.

Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez, who was on the ballot Tuesday in a judicial retention election, chose to let Lawrence Reed back on the streets with an ankle monitor in connection with a separate violent incident.

Reed has been arrested more than 70 times.

Bethany MaGee, the woman who sources say had more than half her body burned when allegedly Reed set her on fire on the CTA Blue Line last year, is speaking out for the first time.

In a statement, she says, "I hope the women of Chicago will be kept safe from attacks by repeat offenders."

It comes after her family learned that Judge Molina-Gonzalez will serve another six years because 71% of voters said "yes" to keep her on the bench.

Another woman says she was also a victim of Reed's back in 2021 when he punched her in the face while outside her Loop office building.

"I mean, just based on that alone, no, that poor girl, I mean, that judge is lucky she didn't die," said Amy Eck.

"Judicial elections are what's known in the political science business as 'low information elections,'" said University of Chicago political science professor John Mark Hansen

Hansen says most Cook County voters don't know much about the judges on the ballot and have little incentive to learn about them. He says he even leaves most of them on his ballot blank.

"I have a rule where I look up to the recommendation of the bar associations and see if there are any of them that are not recommended, and I vote against them."

The Chicago Bar Association lists the judges they recommend on its website. They say 75,000 people used it this election, or around 10% of Cook County voters.

The association says they determine who is qualified based on an evaluation, questionnaire, and interview.

Molina-Gonzalez received a "qualified" rating for retention.

When asked why, the association said, "A judge's ruling in a particular case can certainly be part of the public discussion, but one decision — or media coverage of that decision — does not necessarily provide a complete picture of a judge's qualifications to serve."

For Eck, this still doesn't sit right, and she says voters need to do their research.

"I do think that there should be more education on who we are all voting for because there are all these judges," Eck said.

In Eck's case, she says Reed was arrested, but the case was dropped because prosecutors told her he needed treatment and she agreed.

MaGee's family told CBS News Chicago a couple of months ago that she is progressing slowly but steadily.