Accused killer off the streets after judge issues hefty bond
A judge revoked the bond of a teen accused of killing a food delivery driver, and the suspect will now be tried as an adult.
Channel 9′s Glenn Counts was in the courtroom Thursday for that hearing, and he learned new information about why that victim was targeted.
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Christopher Butler, 17, was allegedly in on a robbery with a friend who was riding with the victim, according to prosecutors.
He’s been charged with first-degree murder for killing Abijah Barkley on March 9.
“If he had not done that to save his life, he would be dead,” said Chiege Okwara, Butler’s defense attorney.
Two weeks ago, Judge Aretha Blake let Butler out of jail by not securing his bond.
The victim’s family was outraged by that decision, and the police weren’t happy, as well.
Archie reversed that decision on Thursday afternoon so now Butler is under a secured bond.
“This defendant is absolutely a danger to this community,” said Nikki Robinson, prosecutor.
Prosecutors argued that Butler was a threat to the community and a flight risk because he was on electronic monitoring at the time of the killing. Butler allegedly cut the monitor off and it took police 21 days to catch up with him.
Butler and Barkley did not know each other, Robinson said in court. Barkley was working for a food delivery service and he carried a gun for protection.
On the night Barkley was killed, he was not alone. An associate was with him. That person was friends with Butler and prosecutors said they planned to rob Barkley of his gun and money, which was supposed to happen in his car.
“So, because of that Christopher Butler reaches for Abijah’s gun and is unable to get it and then shoots Abijah and kills him,” Robinson said.
“My client only shot when the decedent not only pulled his gun, but racked it to shoot,” Okwara said. “That’s a case of necessity. That is a case of self-defense. That is a case of kill or be killed.”
“You can’t go rob somebody and the robbery goes bad, claim self-defense,” Robinson said. “You just can’t do that.”
Barkley’s family was pleased with the decision.
“I’m glad he’s back in jail instead of on the streets and that’s all I got to say,” said Carmella Brown, a family member of the victim.
The judge set Butler’s bond at $300,000 and it’s secured. However, his family is very disappointed about that.
Butler’s family members claim that the shooting was in self-defense.
Even though the plan was to rob Barkley, he was armed and had cocked the gun, the family said. If Butler had not fired, he would be dead.
