A violent criminal with four prior felony convictions just walked out of jail.
What happened next has law enforcement officials demanding answers.
And a Florida judge made one decision about a violent criminal that has authorities seeing red.
Judge releases confessed would-be killer on $9,500 bond despite "atrocious record"
Orange County Circuit Judge Elaine Barbour looked at Jacoby Tillman’s criminal record and called it "atrocious."¹
Then she let him walk out of jail anyway on a $9,500 bond.¹
https://twitter.com/RedWave_Press/status/1980655267886047487
Tillman, 23, had been on the run for more than two months after allegedly attacking a woman on the Little Econ Greenway trail in July.²
Deputies finally caught him on October 10.²
The charges against Tillman would make any reasonable person’s blood run cold.
Prosecutors say he choked a woman unconscious from behind around 8:20 a.m. on July 25, then attempted to sexually assault her on the popular jogging trail.³
When she regained consciousness, her shorts and undergarments were gone.³
The victim suffered injuries to both eyes and her nose.³
Security cameras allegedly caught Tillman throwing her underwear over a fence.³
But the most chilling detail came from Tillman’s own girlfriend.
She told detectives that Tillman confessed to her, saying "I didn’t rape the lady. I was trying to kill the lady."⁴
When she asked why, Tillman allegedly replied, "Because I wanted to know what it is like to choke someone out."⁴
Florida’s new bail law should have prevented this release
Florida lawmakers saw this coming.
The state passed new legislation in 2024 specifically designed to keep dangerous repeat offenders behind bars before trial.⁵
The law blocks people arrested for specific violent felonies and repeat offenders from seeking pretrial release before seeing a judge for arraignment.⁵
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill after blasting bail reform policies in states like New York and Illinois.⁵
"What that means is you’ll have somebody commit a criminal offense, they’ll come in to face charges and then they automatically get released back onto the street without having to post any type of a bond," DeSantis said during the bill-signing ceremony.⁵
Chief Judge Nushin Sayfie of the 11th Judicial Circuit had warned about exactly this kind of case.
"The most significant shortcoming of the current system: persons charged with violent crimes can bond out of jail by paying the standard bond — without first seeing a judge," Sayfie wrote.⁵
Tillman’s criminal history reads like a prosecutor’s nightmare.
Court records show he has at least four felony cases dating back to 2021.⁶
Those convictions include robbery and the violent battery of a defenseless victim.⁶
In 2022, Tillman was charged with attempted second-degree murder after a fight but was convicted of aggravated battery.⁷
He was arrested twice in Volusia County and in 2023 was convicted of burglary and carrying a concealed firearm.⁷
Tillman served time in state prison and was released just nine months before the trail attack.⁷
He also has a 2023 misdemeanor battery conviction.⁶
The victim in that case told investigators Tillman grabbed her from behind while she was jogging.⁸
She was just 18 years old at the time.⁸
Despite all this, Judge Barbour set Tillman’s combined bond at $9,500 for three third-degree felonies — attempted sexual battery, false imprisonment, and battery by strangulation.⁹
Research shows bail reform increases danger for violent repeat offenders
The decision to release Tillman fits a pattern that researchers have been warning about for years.
A 2023 study by the Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College examined New York’s bail reform law.¹⁰
The findings were clear: releasing people without bail reduced recidivism for those with no recent criminal history.¹⁰
But it INCREASED recidivism for people with a recent prior violent felony arrest.¹⁰
"In general, bail reform tended to reduce recidivism for those facing less serious charges and with limited or no recent criminal history over the prior 2 years, and tended to increase recidivism for those with substantial recent criminal histories," the study concluded.¹⁰
Tillman is exactly the type of defendant the research identified as MORE dangerous when released.
He had multiple prior violent convictions, was just released from state prison, and was charged with another violent felony.
Studies from Harris County, Texas showed similar results.¹¹
Before bail reforms, just 1.6 percent of released defendants were charged with a new violent offense within twelve months.¹¹
After reforms, that number jumped.¹¹
The research shows that blanket bail reform policies work for low-level, non-violent offenders.
But they create danger when applied to violent criminals with extensive records.
Law enforcement erupts over release decision
Orange County Sheriff John Mina didn’t mince words when he heard about Tillman’s release.
"This is atrocious! He should have never been released," Mina posted on Facebook.¹²
State Attorney Monique Worrell — a Democrat — also blasted the decision.
"After reviewing the facts of this case, our office felt that the release of the defendant was not appropriate, and he presents a danger to our community," Worrell stated.¹³
"Our office is not the final decision maker… multiple entities are involved in the pursuit of justice including law enforcement and the judicial branch," she continued.¹³
Translation: We tried to keep him locked up, but the judge overruled us.
Prosecutors wrote in court filings that Judge Barbour "was not aware of all the factors" that should have justified holding Tillman.¹⁴
That’s insider language for a judge who didn’t do her homework on a defendant’s criminal history before making a decision that put the public at risk.
Former Ninth Circuit Court Chief Judge Belvin Perry offered a blunt assessment.
"This is a tough case under any circumstances, based on the facts of this case, to grant him bail," Perry said.¹⁵
Governor DeSantis went further during a press conference, calling Barbour’s decision a "disgrace."¹⁶
"Some of these judges get on the bench and they do everything they can to benefit the accused criminal," DeSantis said.¹⁶
"I want judges that are there to protect the public and make sure that folks aren’t released who shouldn’t be released," he added.¹⁶
The standardized bond schedule loophole
Orlando-based criminal defense attorney Jose Rivas explained the legal framework that allowed Tillman’s release.
Judge Barbour’s decision to set $9,500 bond was "consistent with the bond schedule set by the Florida Supreme Court," Rivas said.¹⁷
"This is an attempted sexual battery. Had this been a sexual battery, it’s a second-degree felony, and at that point, the state could have moved forward for a pre-trial detention, but he does not qualify for pre-detention," Rivas explained.¹⁷
There’s the loophole.
Because Tillman was charged with ATTEMPTED sexual battery — a third-degree felony — instead of completed sexual battery, the standardized bond schedule kicked in.
Florida created uniform bond schedules in 2024 to eliminate disparities across the state’s 20 judicial circuits.¹⁸
Before January 1, 2024, bond amounts for the same offense could vary widely depending on the county.¹⁸
The standardized schedule was supposed to promote fairness.
But it also created a box that some judges use to avoid making tough decisions about dangerous defendants.
Judge Barbour had the legal authority to deny bond entirely based on Tillman’s criminal history and the severity of the charges.¹⁹
https://twitter.com/TmSouthFlorida/status/1979387843496870075
She chose to follow the standardized schedule instead.
And she warned Tillman from the bench: "If I get any inkling that you have violated your pre-trial release, you will be arrested on a no-bond warrant, and you will not get out."²⁰
Tillman violates release terms within days
Judge Barbour’s warning lasted less than a week.
Prosecutors upgraded the charges against Tillman to include attempted first-degree murder.²¹
They also accused him of violating a no-contact order by posting about a witness on TikTok and Instagram.²¹
That gave Judge Vincent Chiu the opening he needed.
At Tillman’s arraignment on Tuesday, October 21, Judge Chiu agreed to the prosecution’s motion to revoke bond.²²
Tillman was remanded back to the Orange County Jail.²²
Republicans are pushing legislation to hold judges accountable when released offenders commit new crimes.
U.S. Representative Randy Fine (R-FL) announced plans in September 2025 to introduce federal legislation targeting judges who release repeat violent offenders.²³
"It’s easy to release criminals when you’re protected by an armed bailiff at all times. The rest of us aren’t so lucky," Fine wrote on X.²³
Fine pointed to cases like Tillman’s as evidence that judges need to face consequences when their decisions put communities at risk.²³
The Tillman case shows what happens when judges prioritize following standardized procedures over protecting public safety.
Florida tried to fix the bail reform problem with its 2024 law.
But the law only works if judges use the discretion they’re given to keep dangerous criminals behind bars.
Judge Barbour looked at Tillman’s "atrocious" record, heard prosecutors argue he was too dangerous to release, and let him walk anyway.
Within days, he proved everyone right about the danger he posed by threatening a witness.
And now the debate over judicial accountability has a poster child — a confessed would-be killer who told his girlfriend he wanted to know what it’s like to choke someone out.
¹ FOX 35 Orlando, "Little Econ Greenway Trail attack: Outrage follows release of suspect in attempted murder, rape case," October 16, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Fox News, "Attempted murder suspect with four prior cases walks free on $9.5K bond after brutal trail attack," October 21, 2025.
⁴ Ibid.
⑤ The Independent Florida Alligator, "Newly enacted laws upend Florida’s criminal justice system," January 8, 2024.
⁶ Fox News, October 21, 2025.
⑦ WESH 2, "Orange County trail attempted rape suspect out on bond has history of arrests," October 14, 2025.
⑧ Ibid.
⑨ Ibid.
¹⁰ John Jay College of Criminal Justice, "The Real Impact of Bail Reform on Public Safety," 2023.
¹¹ Houston Forensic Science Center, "Is Bail Reform Causing an Increase in Crime?" 2023.
¹² FOX 35 Orlando, October 16, 2025.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Fox News, October 21, 2025.
¹⁵ FOX 35 Orlando, October 16, 2025.
¹⁶ Florida’s Voice, "Orlando judge revokes bond for accused jogger attacker after social media outburst violates release terms," October 21, 2025.
¹⁷ WESH 2, "Man released on bond after sexual battery accusations sparks outrage from Orange County sheriff," October 15, 2025.
¹⁸ Coeur d’Alene Press, "How Florida bail laws have changed pretrial detention across the state," September 18, 2025.
¹⁹ Florida’s Voice, October 21, 2025.
²⁰ FOX 35 Orlando, October 16, 2025.
²¹ Fox News, October 21, 2025.
²² Ibid.
²³ Space Coast Daily, "Rep. Randy Fine Pushes Federal Legislation to Hold Judges Accountable for Releasing Repeat Offenders," September 10, 2025.
