Councilmembers Brian Kazy and Charles Slife Demand Judicial Accountability Following Tragic RTA Station Murder

Dec 18, 2025

"The recent death of Benjamin McComas at the Puritas-West 150th RTA Station this past Sunday is a senseless tragedy. We offer our deepest condolences to the McComas family as they mourn this unimaginable loss.

We are grateful for the actions of the GCRTA and Cleveland Police Departments in apprehending a suspect. However, disturbing details about the suspect’s history with the justice system have come to light and demand further investigation. According to public records, the individual in custody has a lengthy criminal history dating back years, including recent allegations of multiple violent crimes and charges for disrupting RTA services and official business.

Most alarmingly, the suspect was indicted on new charges—including drug possession and two counts of breaking and entering—on December 4. The suspect’s bond was initially set at $15,000, but a judge later reduced it to $5,000. On December 9, five days after his arrest, he was released after paying just $500 (10% of the total bond). Benjamin McComas was murdered five days later.

The suspect’s bond payment was provided by The Bail Project, a non-profit working to reform the bail system by providing free bail assistance to those who cannot afford it. While we recognize the broader need for bail reform, we question whether the court and the Bail Project adequately scrutinized the suspect’s extensive criminal history before facilitating his release.

The incident at Puritas-West 150th is not isolated. Recently, a violent episode occurred at the Superior Red Line station in East Cleveland, resulting in the death of seventeen-year-old Jamir Peak, and the injury of another unidentified teenager. We extend condolences to the families of these victims as well.  

Public safety is a shared responsibility. When the court system takes a 'revolving door' approach to repeat offenders, it undermines the hard work of our police officers and, more importantly, it jeopardizes the lives of innocent citizens like Mr. McComas who rely on public transit. We cannot expect our residents to feel safe when those who repeatedly violate the law and threaten the public are allowed back onto our streets with minimal oversight.

We call for a thorough review of the bond decisions leading up to the suspect’s release and Mr. McComas’s senseless murder. Our community demands accountability. 'Justice' must be more than a word but a practice where the safety of the law-abiding public comes first."