Something is terribly wrong with a justice system that continues to let murders out on bond to walk our streets. If a defendant takes a life, he should be locked up until his trial.
In the case of 17-year-old Antoine Wimes, a judge saw fit to grant him $250,000 bond in a murder and assault case. Wimes was arrested in February 2009 and charged with the July 2008 shooting death of Obiakor Onyemaechi.
Wimes’ mother put up the necessary $25,000 in cash or property to secure the bond. Judge Karen Woodson ordered Wimes to wear an ankle monitor on home confinement — which has been proven time and time again to be a totally useless method of keeping tabs on dangerous criminals.
By 8 a.m. Monday, Wimes’ mother said he cut off his ankle monitor and was out the door. She never called the police to report his absence. More than 12 hours later, Wimes and an accomplice, Donovan McCoy, 21 — a career criminal from Michigan who had only been in Georgia for three months, were at the door of “Nikki” Neely demanding money.
Neely, who is the best friend of Wimes’ sister, refused to give them any cash. Outraged, Wimes shot Neely in the face and torso. The sociopath then picked up Neely’s crying 1-year-old son Javante by the ankles and swung the child “like a baseball bat” against a wall or piece of furniture.
The baby suffered crushing injuries and lacerations and is listed in serious condition at Egleston Children’s hospital. Neely is in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center.
Meanwhile, the monitoring company which was being paid to monitor Wimes and 11 other violent criminals on home confinement, didn’t alert the police that Wimes was off his monitor until 9 p.m. — 13 hours after he cut his monitor off!
Wimes was quickly identified as the shooter and baby beater, and was the subject of an intense police manhunt. By late Tuesday afternoon, his picture was aired on local news broadcasts. Around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Wimes showed up at a family member’s residence on Rico Road asking to use the phone. The family member, having seen Wimes’ photo on TV, called the police. Wimes ran across the road to a vacant home and hid out in the attic.
The SWAT team arrived within minutes and the police K9 unit was called to the scene. The police used a bullhorn to advise Wimes to come out with his hands in the air. Wimes came to the front door saying he gave up, but then the coward ran behind a nearby bush with his hands still in the air.
As Wimes was led past reporters into the Chatahoochee Hills Police station Tuesday evening, he shouted, “I own this world like Scarface!”
