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Breaking Bond: More Criminal District Court judges lowering bond amounts
FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace explains how more criminal district court judges are lowering bond amounts for suspects accused of murder.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - "Every day when he woke up before he left for school, he'd give me a hug. Before he went to bed, he'd give me a hug. That's probably what I miss the most," said April Wright.
Wright has gone 367 days with no hugs from her only son, 17-year-old Corey Lennard Thompson Jr. Police say he was killed by 18-year-old James Sotelo, someone Corey thought was a friend.
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"Not only was he shot multiple times, he was shot in the back," Wright said. "He was obviously leaving the situation."
"The guy was out on an assaultive offense then he gets charged with murder," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. "They originally ask for a $150,000 bond and they reduce the bond to $100,000. He gets out and a month later, he's charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon."
"His bond was reduced not once, but twice. It's hard to see a judge doing that," said Corey's mom. "It's Judge Josh Hill, 232 Criminal District Court."
"His bond should have been raised. Why would you make it easier for him to get out, when he came off such an aggressive offense?" said Torrie Wright, Corey's sister.
MORE BREAKING BOND COVERAGE
"I've seen more and more bonds getting reduced, which of course, enables defendants to get out," Kahan said.
"If my case was kind of unique it would be different, but the worst thing about it is, it's not unique," April Wright said. "I'm not the only one. I'm part of a club nobody wants to be in and families shouldn't have to endure something like this. We shouldn't have to worry about the person who took our loved one walking past our house if they wanted to."
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"I'm scared to come home sometimes cause the murderer is right around the corner, and he gets to live his life fully free and we're terrified," said Corey's sister.
A website has been posted called ‘Justice for Corey Lennard Thompson Jr. Click here to visit the site.