Cops: Man in domestic abuse case kills wife after bail posted

ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis man released from jail after a nonprofit group posted his $5,000 bail in a domestic violence case went that same night to his wife’s home and fatally beat her, prosecutors allege in charging documents.

Samuel Scott, 54, was charged Tuesday with firstdegree murder in the death of his wife, 54-year-old Marcia Johnson. Scott is now jailed on $1 million bond.

Scott was charged April 5 with misdemeanor domestic assault for allegedly striking Johnson in the face in January. A probable cause statement from the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office said he also threatened that he “might as well finish what (he) started since (she) was going to contact the police.” The probable cause statement said that on April 9, the St. Louis Bail Project posted Scott’s bail and he was released.

The group is part of the Bail Project, a national organization that bails out people who are jailed awaiting trial and can’t afford their own bail. The probable cause statement said Scott went to his wife’s home at 7:45 that same night. At 11 p.m., a friend took Johnson to a hospital after finding her unconscious and her head and body bruised and bloodied. She died Sunday. Police said Scott admitted striking her.

Bail Project Executive Director Robin Steinberg said the organization was “deeply saddened,” but bail wasn’t to blame for Johnson’s death.

“It’s important to remember that had he been wealthy enough to afford his bail, or bonded out by a commercial bail bond agency, he would have been free pretrial as well,” Steinberg said in a statement.