No bond increase for teen accused of killing while on house arrest
Following a hearing Friday morning, a Franklin County judge decided not to increase the bond of a teenager accused of killing a 21-year-old while on house arrest.
Javontae Williams, 17, of the South Side, appeared for a bond hearing Friday morning before Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Brown. Williams was arrested in October in connection with the Sept. 20 shooting death of Sage Martin, 21, outside the former Westland
Mall on the West Side.
Williams was charged with a delinquency count of aggravated murder in the case, and prosecutors requested he be tried as an adult.
A police source told The Dispatch that Williams had been on electronic monitoring with GPS under a court order from county juvenile court in an unrelated case in early 2020. On July 6, two and a half months before Williams is accused of killing Martin, Williams was removed from the electronic monitoring and placed on what is commonly known as "honor system house arrest."
On March 23, a hearing was held before Franklin County Juvenile Court Judge Kim Browne, who determined Williams would be tried as an adult. Browne issued a $250,000 bond in the case and ordered Williams to be on house arrest and electronic GPS monitoring if he were to post bond.
Williams posted the bond on Monday and was indicted on one count of aggravated murder and two counts of murder on Tuesday. Within hours of the bond being posted, prosecutors had filed a motion seeking an increase in bond, citing safety concerns.
A police source had told The Dispatch there was concern about the safety of witnesses and others involved in the case, especially since Williams was on house arrest at the time of Martin's death.
Williams appeared before Judge Chris Brown on Friday morning for a bond hearing. Brown, according to court records, did not increase Williams' bond and allowed him to remain on house arrest with the GPS monitor. Brown ordered Williams to undergo drug screenings as a condition of his release.
bbruner@dispatch.com