D.A. Quinn Calls $2,500 Bail for Alleged Taunton Drug Trafficker ‘Irrational’

TAUNTON (WBSM) — Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III called a judge’s recent bail decision for a repeat alleged drug trafficker “irrational” after the judge set the bail at $2,500.

Quinn announced that Henry Samuels, 37, of Taunton, was released by Judge Courtney C. Linnehan on $2,500 bail on February 6 after he was charged with trafficking more than 100 grams of cocaine and trafficking in more than 10 grams of fentanyl.

"The judge's decision not to revoke the defendant's bail for committing the same serious crime makes no sense and is a clear abuse of discretion that threatens public safety,” Quinn said.

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Samuels Was Already Out on Bail

Quinn pointed out that Samuels was arrested on these charges back in January while out on bail and wearing a GPS monitoring bracelet after being indicted in Norfolk Superior Court for trafficking in cocaine and fentanyl.

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The Commonwealth had requested he be held without bail on the new charges as a danger, and that his bail in the Norfolk Superior Court case be revoked. Judge Linnehan denied both requests.

D.A. Quinn Says Decision Threatens Public Safety

“This case once again highlights the fact that some judges release dangerous defendants back into the community where they continue to commit more crimes,” Quinn said. “These types of ‘irrational’ decisions continue to undermine the public's confidence in the judicial system.”