CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An accused killer posted bail, then months later, police arrested him again for a different crime.
It's a repeat offender trend Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and the judicial system are working together to address.
Police charged Antonio Jennings with murder in April. He’s accused of killing 19-year-old Ondrea Stevenson, an expectant mother, back in 2013.
In court, a judge issued Jennings a $50,000 bond. A month later, Jennings posted bail and was released.
Now there’s concern that suspects charged with violent crimes like this are more likely to be released and commit other crimes while they await trial.
Anl attorney we spoke with said there are specific reasons why certain bond amounts are decided for certain suspects.
"When an individual thinks this person was charged with a terrible offense, that doesn’t necessarily mean a high bond will be set," attorney Melissa Owen said.
She said every case is different, but there are overall factors to consider.
"What is the amount of bond to ensure that the person is going to appear at trial and what risk do they pose to society?" Owen explained.
In Jennings' case, just months after his release, CMPD arrested on a child sex offender charge in October.
CMPD said repeat offender cases like this are becoming more common in Mecklenburg County. The courts and police hope to work together to stop the trend.
"Equal accountability throughout the whole system is what we need right now because what we see is people will re-offend once they think they can get away with it," Chief Kerr Putney said.
Jennings' next court appearance for the murder charge is set for November 14.