St Louis judge who let Drake concert killer go free on $20k bond previously let drugged-up mother go on probation over death of her six-year-old and was cherry picked by disgraced Soros-backed former prosecutor

A Missouri judge who freed a man accused of killing a mother and daughter in a horror speeding accident has been slammed for what her critics claim is a soft touch on criminals. 

Judge Annette Llewellyn controversially overlooked warnings from officers that driver Monte Henderson, 22, was a 'danger to the community' as she allowed him to walk free on a $20,000 bond this month. 

She did so despite horrific footage alleged to show him plowing into a mom and daughter at 70mph after running a red light, killing both instantly.  

A former public defender, Llewellyn was one of the first hires of ousted Democrat St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who's lenient stances on violent criminals led her to resign from office in May 2023. 

Since leaving Soros-backed Gardner's office and taking the bench in 2018, Llewellyn has angered some critics by taking a similarly lax stance to her old boss - with Henderson's bail only the latest. 

She previously faced backlash in her first year on the bench after sentencing a woman to only two years' probation, despite one of her daughters fatally shooting their sibling when she left a loaded gun out and passed out on drugs, reported STL Today. 

Judge Annette Llewelyn (pictured) sparked backlash this month as she freed a motorist accused of killing a mother and daughter - as critics say it is the latest in a string of lenient rulings 

Llewellyn was one of the first hires of former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (pictured), who was ousted from office in May 2023 as she was perceived as being too soft on crime 

With Henderson freed on bail, social media was outraged as shocking surveillance footage was released this week capturing the moment mother and daughter Laticha Bracero, 42, Alyssa Cordova, 21, were struck.

Henderson, who admitted to being the driver according to charging documents, was seen running a blatant red light at a high speed before plowing into and killing the mother and daughter.  

Two other teen girls and a 61-year-old woman were also injured in the crash, which saw Henderson collide with several other vehicles as he blew through the lights. 

Police say he was speeding at over 70mph when he allegedly caused the tragedy.

However, Llewellyn overlooked a probable cause statement arguing he is a 'danger to the community' and is 'not likely to appear voluntarily to a summons', and allowed him to be freed on a $20,000 bail, according to STL Today. 

Leading the backlash was Bracero and Cordova's family, who told 5 On Your Side after the bail that they are 'at a loss how a man can take two lives and be out on bond two days later able to sit at home with his family.' 

'We have many questions and demand answers,' they said. 'My family demands accountability from everyone... the driver, the police department, the states attorneys office.' 

Laticha Bracero, 42, (left) and her daughter Alyssa Cordova, 21, (right) were struck and killed as they left a Drake concert on February 14. Their loved ones said the mom and daughter were 'inseparable' 

Monte Henderson, 22, allegedly plowed into them at the intersection after running a red light at 70mph. He is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the deaths of the mother and daughter 

Shocking footage showed the mother and daughter walking past the intersection while oncoming traffic had a red light 

In a flash, Henderson's Jeep Grand Cherokee is seen flying into crossing traffic, initially colliding with the front bumper of another car before careening into the mom and daughter 

Llewellyn's history with Garnder dates back to 2017, when she was enlisted by the Circuit Attorney's office to oversee its felony trial attorneys. 

She was a public defender for criminals, and said her past on the other side of the bench led her to be glad Garnder had a softer stance compared to her predecessors. 

'What I had seen from this office was a sense of 'us against them'' she said. 'That was the culture... It was prosecutors versus defense.' 

In her time in office, Garnder sparked fury in her approach to prosecutions - once leading a police officer to slam her for her 'concerted effort to break the system down.' 

She faced threats to be removed from office by Republicans, and resigned before a removal bill could be passed.  

After the Soros-backed prosecutor resigned from office and replaced, her successor immediately doubled crime prosecutions as he worked to clear the overloaded caseload. 

Llewellyn left the prosecutor's office and rose the judge's bench in 2018 - and she faced scrutiny for a lenient ruling in her first year. 

She sentenced mom Ebony R. Jones, 29, to two years' probation after her six-year-old daughter was shot dead by one of her siblings.

Despite Jones' boyfriend admitting to cops that they passed out on drugs and left a loaded 9mm handgun on the floor, involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped and she was slapped with probation - and was ordered to attend parenting classes. 

She also faced scrutiny after allowing a man accused of domestic assault against his wife out on 10 percent of a $20,000 bond in February 2022, reported KSDK. 

The judge faced scrutiny on her first year on the bench, as she sentenced mom Ebony R. Jones, 29, (pictured) to two years' probation after her six-year-old daughter was shot dead by one of her siblings

Gardner's funding by billionaire investor George Soros (pictured) raised eyebrows before she resigned last year 

When asked over the phone on Monday how Henderson was able to post $20,000 bail, his attorney Scott Rosenblum declined to say the source of the funds - but added to DailyMail.com that Henderson 'has a very supportive family.' 

Henderson's bail sparked outrage online after the shocking footage of the crash went viral, as it became clear that he was out of custody within days after mysteriously posting 10 percent of his $200,000 bond.

He is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the deaths of the mother and daughter. 

Cops say he blew through the stop lights on Olive Street in the center of the city, with the footage showing the red light at the same time he sped past the intersection in his Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

He was seen travelling at a high rate of speed before initially colliding with the front bumper of another car, which led him to careen into Bracero and Cordova. 

Bracero was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cordova died shortly after being rushed to hospital, police said. 

Henderson was also hospitalized in the crash and was listed as being in critical condition at the time. 

In his charging documents, St Louis police officer Matthew Wieczorek argued that Henderson should remain in custody as he was believed to be a danger to the community and would likely not appear for a summons. 

But Llewellyn disagreed, and set his bond at $200,000, or 10 percent cash, as he has no prior felonies. 

After the charges were brought, Henderson's attorney said in a statement: 'This is a very tragic accident, Monte is very upstanding young man; involved in academics and sports.' 

In response, St Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy told the St Louis Business Journal: 'He's going to be held accountable. He destroyed families, killed two people.'  

Tributes have poured in for the mother and daughter after their senseless deaths, with a friend describing them as 'great people, the life of the party, always keeping people up and helping when they could' 

Bracero was pronounced dead at the scene, and Cordova died shortly after being rushed to hospital

Tributes poured in for the mother and daughter after their senseless death, as those that knew them said they were 'inseparable.' 

Bracero, known as 'Lety', was a supervisor at Wintrust Bank in Chicago, and Cordova was at a nearby college and worked part-time at a Starbucks, according to a GoFundMe. 

They were known to frequently travel to concerts together, and the fundraiser said they came from a 'close, strong family.' 

'The family is extremely devastated by this horrific tragedy,' the post added. 'The two were inseparable and shared a strong bond.' 

After the fundraiser surpassed its $25,000 goal, an update shared by one of Bracero's sisters read: 'Words can't even come close to how much our family appreciates everyone that came together across the country. 

'My sister and my niece were the most loving people you could ever meet. They were so kind and sweet. 

'They spoke of positivity and helped others across the country/beyond. They did so much for others I am positive they received their wings right away.' 

Bracero, known as 'Lety', (pictured left, with a friend), was a supervisor at Wintrust Bank in Chicago, and Cordova was at a nearby college and worked part-time at a Starbucks,

Jordan Carrion, a childhood friend of Cordova, told STL Today that the 21-year-old and her mom were 'amazing, sweet people.' 

'Lety was always there helping others, always giving the best advice,' he said, adding that she was like a 'second mom' to him that helped raise him and his siblings. 

He said she had a 'lust for life even when life was hard to live', and would give advice 'even if it was advice you didn't want to hear.'

'They were great people, the life of the party, always keeping people up and helping when they could,' Carrion said. 

'I want them to be remembered by that — not the careless actions of someone else.' 

Cousin Nicole Rivera told 5 On Your Side that they were 'best friends' and going to concerts together was 'their thing.'

'If I'm being honest, the only way I can try to get through it is knowing that they were together because if either one of them made it, they wouldn't have survived without the other,' she said. 

'We want them here more than anything but if we can't have that, of course, we want justice.'