Texas murder suspect's bail reduced from $800,000 to $200; he's released after paying cash. Gov. Abbott is not happy.

A Texas murder suspect was released from jail last week after his bail was reduced from $800,000 to $200, KEYE-TV reported.

The station on Friday noted the drastic bail reduction for 19-year-old Stephon Martin Morson of Austin; Morson was charged in connection with the October death of 20-year-old Keshawn Cage, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the southeastern part of the city.

'I’ve lost confidence in the system. I just don’t think I can confidently say they are doing everything in their power to keep people like this behind bars.'

Travis County Jail told Fox News that Morson was booked Nov. 6 and charged with murder and tamper/fabricate physical evidence.

But KEYE said Morson was released Friday on the $200 cash bond and was no longer listed as an inmate at the jail by Saturday. The Travis County Sheriff's Office told the station the new cash bond total was $100 for each charge.

KEYE said conditions tied to Morson's release are that he wear a GPS monitor, remain under house arrest, and not contact the family of the victim or potential witnesses.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott blasted the bail reduction:

"This is outrageous," Abbott wrote. "It's why I made bail reform an Emergency Item. We must prevent leftist judges from releasing dangerous murderers out on our streets. Those responsible for this release should be held legally liable if anyone is harmed by this criminal."

The president of the Austin Police Association, Michael Bullock, told KEYE the bail reduction is irresponsible: “These stipulations can be put in place, but we’ve seen how people ignore house arrest orders, they cut ankle monitors. We have seen instances in San Antonio and Harris County where people have been freed after being accused of shooting or murdering people, and then they’ve murdered more people."

Bullock added to the station that it wasn't the first time Travis County judges and magistrates have lowered the bond for an individual accused of murder or sexual assault: “This is not exclusive to just one judge. This has happened across multiple different courts. We’ve had some where they may not reoffend, but then we’ve had others who do reoffend — people [who] get out on bond, and they murder someone else when they’re already accused of a violent crime."

Murder victim's family fears for safety

The murder victim's aunt told KEYE in a separate story that her family members fear for their safety now that Morson has been released from jail.

“I’ve lost confidence in the system," she said. "I just don’t think I can confidently say they are doing everything in their power to keep people like this behind bars."

KEYE said Texas law stipulates that the state has 90 days to indict an individual for a felony after the date of the individual's arrest. The station added that if the district attorney’s office has not presented a case to a grand jury, and the suspect is being held in jail, the suspect must be released on a reduced and affordable bond.

You can view a video report here on Morson's reduced bail and the reaction of the murder victim's aunt.

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