Bail was reduced yesterday, July 2, for two men charged in the Jan. 14 beating and killing of 2010 Temple alumnus Kevin Kless.
Judge Benjamin Lerner approved the reduction of the bail for Steven Ferguson, 21, from $500,000 to $150,000 agreed upon by Assistant District Attorney Brendan O’Malley and defense attorney Stephen Patrizio. He also reduced bail from $500,000 to $40,000 for Felix Carrillo, 23.
“We felt that it was a decision that we had to make,” said O’Malley, who added that he wasn’t too excited about the ruling.
Lerner also required that the three men be placed on electronic house arrest once they pay the required 10 percent of their bail in cash. There is typically a wait for the necessary electronic bracelets.
Kenneth Enriquiz-Santiago, 20, along with Carrillo and Ferguson were originally charged with a general count of murder. The charge was reduced to third-degree. Santiago’s bail was reduced in early June.
Kless was killed on Jan. 14 after being beaten on the steps of the Second Bank of the United States on Chestnut Street.
Police said Kless was trying to pick up a cab when he shouted at a taxi. After the taxi briefly stopped, Carillo, Santiago, and Ferguson allegedly came out of a passing car and beat Kless to death. National Park Service rangers had responded and administered first aid to Kless, who was pronounced dead later that night.
The 23-year-old graduated with a degree in risk management and insurance had recently returned to Philadelphia to start a job with the insurance broker Marsh.
Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.
Be the first to comment