Bond Hearings In The Murder Case of Grant Park Resident David McReynolds

by Jackson Faw

Monday’s arraignment and bond hearings for co-defendants , were attended by more than 25 of their family members and friends. Four members of murder victim David McReynolds’ family and one neighborhood resident appearing in support of Mr. McReynolds, also attended the hearings.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford was vocal and direct in his admonishment of the two young defendants after setting a bond of $90,000 each.

“I see some of you shaking your heads” the judge said after setting bond, which was nearly four times higher than the $25,000 bond one of the defendant’s sought. “But this is serious business.”

Other bond terms require both defendants to establish residency outside of Grant Park. It also requires both men be employed full-time within two weeks of making bond.

Mitigating factors for the Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Pat Dutcher’s desire for a high bond included the lack of any criminal record for the two young men and a low likelihood of flight, especially given their close ties to the communities of Grant Park, Peoplestown and Summerhill.

In addition, there was no evidence to suggest the men would engage in witness tampering or other threats to the neighborhood.

The third defendant in the case, , remains in jail without bond.  Bird was the first person arrested in the crime, and, unlike the other two defendants, does have a criminal background and is not tied to the neighborhood families of Hale and Hogans.

Mr. Faw, of Peoplestown, was a friend of David McReynolds and heads Peoplestown's security patrol.