Biden Judge Released Man Accused of D.C. Hotel Murder From Jail in December

A woman has been murdered in her hotel room in Washington, D.C. by a man who had been released from prison by a judge appointed by President Joe Biden. George Sydnor Jr. was charged with armed robbery in October 2020, and was released by D.C. superior court judge Sean Staples, despite a different judge denying him bail for his violent criminal history. Sydnor skipped his arraignment, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Court records show that since 2000, Sydnor has been convicted of several felonies and misdemeanors including armed robbery, domestic violence, and rape.

Just four months after his release, Sydnor was arrested at the scene of the murder of Christy Bautista, who was stabbed at least 33 times with a kitchen knife. Biden nominated Staples as a judge in January 2021, and he was confirmed by the Senate the following month. Thirty-eight Republicans voted against his confirmation.

This is not the first case of leniency shown to violent offenders in Washington, D.C. Soaring violent crime in the city was discussed during Staples’s confirmation hearing, and his response was a promise to be fair and impartial. President Biden recently signed into law a Republican-led resolution that rolled back an overhaul of D.C.’s criminal code, which lowered prison sentences for a variety of offenses, including gun crimes. Some have interpreted the decision as an attempt to counter accusations of being weak on crime. The DC Metropolitan Police Department has declined to comment on Sydnor’s record.

Note: This piece has been updated to correct Judge Staples’s first name. It is Sean, not Chris. The Free Beacon regrets the error.