Wednesday, September 2, 2009

ARE THE COURTS PARTIAL TO THE ACCUSED??

I WAS JUST INFORMED BY THE COURTS THAT RODGER IS OUT ON BOND AS OF TODAY, SPETEMBER 3,
HEADING BACK TO ILLINOIS. WHAT A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE!

Bond lowered in 1972 homicide case

September 02, 2009
LINDELL KAY

Prosecutors are outraged that a visiting judge lowered the bond Wednesday of an Illinois man charged with first-degree murder in the 1972 shooting death of a Camp Lejeune Marine.

Rodger Gill, 56, was given a $200,000 bond after his arrest earlier this year in connection to the death of Sgt. William Miller more than 37 years ago. N.C. Superior Court Judge John Nobles, visiting Onslow County from Craven County, lowered the bond to $25,000 Wednesday at the request of Gill’s attorney, Kinston lawyer Bill Gerrens.

“Bill Gerrens bushwhacked us,” District Attorney Dewey Hudson said. “I question the propriety of what he has done.”

Hudson said he is extremely disappointed his prosecutors were not given a chance to be heard before Gill’s bond was reduced. He said assistant district attorneys in his office told the court earlier last week that since Gill’s situation hadn’t changed then his bond shouldn’t change.

Hudson said he thought that was the end of it, but then his office received a call Wednesday from a courthouse clerk informing them that Gill’s bond had been lowered.

Hudson accused Gerrens of judge-shopping and said lawyers should not seek out different judges to get a favorable ruling.

“It’s not just the amount — $25,000 for first-degree murder is outrageous — it is the circumstances around this thing,” said Hudson, the chief prosecutor for the Fourth Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow County.

Gerrens said he didn’t do anything wrong and was only following the court’s instructions. He said he was told by Onslow County Senior Residing Superior Court Judge Charles Henry to bring the bond motion back to court this week.

“Mr. Hudson likes to call me bad names,” he said. “But I just did what I was told to do.”

Gerrens said the reduced bond was good news for the Gill family and he hopes they will be able to raise it.

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