Rantz: Judge Maureen McKee offers only $500 bail on felony suspect who allegedly confessed to crime

A 19-year-old has been charged for allegedly stealing a car from a Honda dealership in Burien. Body-worn and in-cruise camera footage shows the suspect allegedly confessing to the theft and even directing police to evidence. But on his way to King County Jail, he predicted that his alleged crime wouldn’t be taken seriously by a judge. Unfortunately, he was right. He was assigned to King County Superior Court Judge Maureen McKee.

The suspect, Suleiman Jeele, faces charges of felony vehicle theft, first-degree criminal impersonation and driving with a suspended/revoked license in the third degree.

Despite the serious nature of the charges, McKee rejected the prosecutor’s request for $10,000 bail, setting bail at just $500 — less than what many misdemeanor cases see. To make matters worse, she crossed out the no-contact order with the dealership Jeele allegedly stole from.

This case highlights yet another example of a King County judge failing to prioritize public safety and opting instead for leniency in the face of serious criminal behavior. The decision sends a troubling message: criminal behavior, even when confessed, will be met with a slap on the wrist rather than real consequences.

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What is the suspect accused of and what did he admit to?

King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies said Jeele used a fake ID to test drive a Honda Accord on Nov. 29. According to court documents, Jeele asked a dealership employee to take a photo of him in the driver’s seat. When he was alone in the car, prosecutors said Jeele drove off.

Later that evening, a deputy working for the Burien Police Department spotted the stolen vehicle with Jeele in the front seat. After arresting Jeele and reading him his Miranda rights, the suspect allegedly readily admitted to stealing the car, and then some, according to the body-worn footage obtained by “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. (Note: the video was edited for length.)

“How did you get this car, bud?” the officer asked Jeele.

“I took it from the dealership,” Jeele replied, saying he took it “to program another key for it.”

“Have you done this before? Is this kind of your thing?” the officer asked.

“Yes,” Jeele admitted, later assuring the officer he didn’t have any weapons in the car because “I don’t deal with guns, just cars, man.” He then admitted to using a fake ID at the dealership.

Before searching the vehicle, Jeele admitted evidence of the alleged crime would be found in the front seat.

“The evidence is right there on the seat … the question was, how does everything, how was I going to program the keycard … everything’s in the front seat. Passenger seat. Every evidence you need is right there, sir,” Jeele said on the body-worn camera.

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Suspect got belligerent and homophobic with cop

While the arresting officer typed up the details of the incident and later transported Suleiman Jeele to King County Jail in Seattle, the 19-year-old displayed a range of emotions from the backseat of the cruiser. He was allegedly defiant, antagonistic and at times, desperate. During the ride, Jeele claimed he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Jeele repeatedly allegedly insulted the officer with name-calling, vulgarity and an anti-gay slur. At one point, Jeele calls the officer an “NPC … literally, you’re a f****** non-playable character.”

At one point, Jeele allegedly urged the officer to hurry up and take him to jail, but he also contradicted himself, insisting he hadn’t committed any crime and shouldn’t be going to jail at all.

“Look at that. Everybody gets their stuff back, just like that. What crime did I commit here? …  Look everybody’s going back … it was a peaceful day,” he said.

Jeele then broke down.

“There’s something like mentally wrong with me, bro,” he told the officer, before scolding him for “wanting to stay average.”

“You don’t wanna take risks, man. You gotta f****** take risks in this world, bro. Obviously, not crazy risks that’s going to be your life in danger. You gotta take risks to get rich, you know?” he said.

Then Jeele started to cry.

“All you guys just wanna do is stay average. You guys don’t wanna do anything,” he cried. The suspect has a criminal record according to prosecutors. Jeele appears to dispute the claim.

Suspect has record but he knew the judge wouldn’t take his case seriously

Jeele has a criminal record, in addition to having a suspended/revoked license, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). In 2022, as a juvenile, Jeele was convicted of a hit-and-run injury.

Prosecutors said he was originally granted a “deferred disposition,” which means the conviction wouldn’t be permanently entered into his record. But the deferred disposition was revoked just four months later, which often happens when a defendant fails to meet conditions set by the court.

During the drive to the King County Jail, Jeele asked to be dropped off at his home. After he promised not to steal cars again, he argued his case wouldn’t be taken seriously, anyway.

“None of this s*** is gonna matter, man. You’re just wasting your time … who the f*** is gonna read this, n****? The judge doesn’t give a f***,” he said, arguing there are bigger issues to tackle instead of a “kid trying to steal a car.”

Of course, Jeele was right.

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Why did King County Superior Court Judge Maureen McKee have a shameless history of soft-on-crime tendencies

King County Judge Maureen McKee has a reputation for going easy on suspects.

McKee assigned Gabriel Vargas-Garcia, 25 at the time, to just 15 months of detention after a May 2021 conviction for raping a 16-year-old girl in 2019. Less than two days after his release from prison, he was accused of beating to death a 63-year-old disabled man in a wheelchair.

In 2021, King County prosecutors asked for $2 million bail after charging Isaiah “Junior” Tulasaga, 25, with second-degree murder. They argued he was a significant risk to the public. But Judge McKee apparently disagreed. She lowered the bail to $150,000. She didn’t even offer any other conditions on his release, like an ankle bracelet or demand he surrender his firearm.

The move was so shocking that King County prosecutors made a rare decision to ask another judge to weigh in. A spokesperson said the judge’s decision was so shocking that “there were people in our office who lost sleep over that because we don’t want to see violence continuing.”

A year later, Judge McKee again caught the attention of local media when she ignored the 10-year sentence plea agreement reached between prosecutors and the defense team for Jeffery Hamlet. She reduced his sentence to 7.5 years and said at the time that if the state allowed her to, she would have offered an even lower sentence. Hamlet was arrested for an armed carjacking, death threats against the mother of his son and shooting at two Normandy Park police officers.

Prior to her appointment by Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee, McKee spent 16 years with the King County Defender Association as a staff attorney. According to the county’s website, this division “is an independent voice that promotes justice and equity for our clients.”

Why did King County Superior Court Judge Maureen McKee go easy on suspect?

Jeele is just 19 years old and the body-worn camera footage portrays him as deeply troubled. But for individuals like him, consequences are critical. Without accountability, what incentive does he have to change his behavior? He can change and is worth saving, but we need judges willing to be responsible.

A court spokesperson declined to comment on Judge Maureen McKee’s decision, but the message is clear: she isn’t prioritizing public safety or rehabilitation. Instead, she appears to be embracing an ideological view of the criminal justice system that prioritizes leniency over accountability. Unfortunately, King County has too many judges with this ideological mindset, contributing significantly to the county’s ongoing crime crisis.

With bail set at just $500, Jeele only needed to pay $50 to secure his release. Considering his recorded comments and criminal history, isn’t it reasonable to assume he’s likely to reoffend? I think so. And what about the next car he allegedly steals — or worse? Judge McKee doesn’t seem particularly concerned about future victims or the community she’s sworn to protect.

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