Texas judge sets $2 bail for man accused of violent crimes to protest state law

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A Texas judge set a $2 bond for a man accused of beating, kidnapping and attempting to strangle a woman to protest the state’s bail reform law. However, the bond was later revoked and the suspect is back in jail, online records show.

Aubrey Andre Taylor, 42, of Katy, was arrested on Dec. 28 and charged with aggravated kidnapping and assault of a family member-impeding breathing, according to Harris County online court records.

District Court Judge Joshua Hill levied the unusual bond amount to show his displeasure about Texas Senate Bill 6, which eliminates personal recognizance bonds for violent offenses, KPRC-TV reported.

Court records show that Taylor’s bail was originally set at $45,000 on Dec. 28 and then raised to $75,000 the next day. On Jan. 10, the bond was lowered to $1,000.

Hill lowered bail for the two charges the next day to $2 — a dollar for each charge, court records show. Taylor paid the fines and was out of jail by Saturday, online court records show.

In his bail order, Hill noted that the Texas Constitution prohibits “excessive bail” in Taylor’s case. He released Taylor, who has eight previous felony convictions, assigned him a GPS monitor and placed him under house arrest, The Texan news website reported.

Hill wrote that Taylor was “unable to post any amount of bail and is currently being held solely because of his inability to access funds,” the news outlet reported.

“SB 6 prohibits a personal bond in this case and further limits who can post bail on behalf of this defendant,” the judge wrote.

The measure was signed into law in 2021 by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Fox News reported.

Andy Kahan, with Crime Stoppers, said he was outraged by the decision.

“He’s charged with two serious violent offenses,” Kahan told KPRC. “A dollar bill. Since there were two cases, a 2-dollar bill.”

“I have never seen that before,” criminal defense attorney Emily Detoto told the television station. “When you first told me about it, I thought you were joking.”

Taylor landed back in jail on Wednesday. Harris County pretrial services filed a bond violation report on Monday because Taylor’s GPS monitor indicated he had not remained at his home, The Texan reported.

The court issued a warrant for Taylor’s arrest and held a brief hearing Wednesday morning, according to the news outlet. Although Taylor’s defense attorneys asked the judge to lift the warrant, Hill refused.

Taylor was booked again into the Harris County Jail later Wednesday, according to online booking records.

He is expected to appear in court on March 30, online records show.