Judge lowers bond for 21-year-old murder defendant, angering the mother of the man he's charged with killing
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - It appears Jeremiah Brown couldn't come up with $15,000 to post his $150,000 bonds. Now, he only needs $5,000 because his bonds were lowered to $50,000.
December 1, 2019, would be the last time Terry Tondre would see her only son, 25-year-old Keith Tondre Hardy.
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"He told me give me 45 minutes. No give me an hour, I'll be back," Terry said.
Instead of Keith returning, two detectives were at Terry's door.
"I don't care why you are here as long as you tell me my baby is OK," said Terry.
Her youngest child was not OK.
Sheriff's detectives say 21-year-old Jeremiah Brown shot and killed him during a robbery at 5350 Aero Park Drive.
"He was going to shoot somebody that day, and it happened to be Keith," his mother said.
In July 2021, Brown was charged with murder and his bond was set at $100,000.
"You've got a $100,000 bond for murder, then you have got a $50,000 bond for the possession of a prohibited weapon while in custody," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.
Deputies say Brown had a shank in the jail.
"If he made a shank, he was going to do bodily harm to someone in jail," Terry said.
Recently, 263rd Criminal District Court Judge Melissa Morris lowered Brown's bond for murder to just $35,000 and his other felony to $15,000.
"How do you justify reducing somebody's bond on murder who gets charged with another felony while in custody?" Kahan said.
"His court appointed attorney asked the judge if he could get out, take care of some business, wrap up some loose ends," said Terry. "You didn't give my son a chance to tie up any loose ends."