Suspect in slaying denied bond tweak
No jury trial in pandemic, judge says
EL DORADO — Tristen Dakota Waller, a suspect in a June 5, 2019, slaying, was recently denied modified bond in a hearing in Union County Circuit Court.
Waller, now 21 years old, has previously argued in letters to a judge as well as through attempts at bond modification that continuance orders violate his right to a speedy trial.
The latest request came from Waller’s attorney, Keidra Brewer, who was standing in during the hearing Tuesday for Waller’s primary attorney, S.L. Smith. Judge Robin Carroll was presiding.
Brewer reiterated a request made by Waller’s attorneys to reduce Waller’s bond to $75,000 or less or to implement a signature bond.
“I can’t have a jury trial by order of the Supreme Court. Mr. Waller is welcome to a bench trial, if he wants one, but we’re probably not even close to a jury trial anytime soon,” Carroll said in response to the request.
Carroll then denied the request.
Court records show that a motion for release or bond reduction was initially filed by Smith on Waller’s behalf in August 2020.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has extended on several occasions the suspension of jury trials because of the covid-19 pandemic. The most recent extension, on Feb. 12, suspended jury trials until May 1.
The latest per curiam order states that “the Supreme Court of Arkansas is encouraged by the recent downward trend in covid-19 infections in the state and by the increase in vaccinations. Going forward, we will continue to monitor these trends with the anticipation that, if positive progress continues, jury trials may resume May 1, 2021.
“We therefore recommend that circuit court judges, circuit court clerks, prosecuting attorneys, public defenders, and private attorneys take the next few weeks to prepare for the resumption of jury trials.”
Waller was initially arrested in June 2019 and charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder, along with firearm enhancements, in the shooting death of Brandon Parker, 27, and the shooting of Randy Miller, then age 23.
Waller was 19 years old at the time of his arrest. Parker and Miller had met Waller and another teenager to buy Xanax, according to an affidavit. Miller told investigators that he and Parker were then ambushed at the designated meeting site, the affidavit said.
A second suspect, Chancin Hooks of Crossett, was also arrested and charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder, both with firearm enhancements. He was 17 in 2019 and charged as an adult at the time of his arrest.