An Atmore teenager arrested and later bonded out on attempted murder charges for shooting and paralyzing a fellow classmate is back in jail following a bond revocation hearing Friday accusing him of not complying with his bond conditions; specifically keeping his GPS ankle monitor charged and working.
De'Andre Lamar Mitchell, 17, 1440 Tumbling Lane, Atmore, was arrested in April and charged with attempted murder in the shooting of fellow Escambia County High School student Trenton Atchinson. The shooting left Atchinson paralyzed.
Mitchell was later released on $100,000 but as part of his bond stipulations he was required to wear a GPS ankle monitor. Testimony Friday before Circuit Judge Bert Rice was that on four occasions, Mitchell allowed the monitoring system's battery to get low or go dead to the point he could not be tracked.
Mitchell's attorney, James M. Byrd, waived his right to be at the bond revocation hearing and Mitchell agreed.
Byrd did file a motion with the court to asking that the requirement of the GPS system be removed due to the cost.
People released on bond and required to have a GPS monitoring system pay $500 up front and then $500 every 30 days.
Matt Rabren with the Escambia County Community Corrections, testified that he went to the Escambia County Detention Center on March 6 and installed the GPS monitor on Mitchell.
He also testified that Mitchell was made aware that the monitor had to be charged on a regular basis which usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Rabren also testified that on three occasions prior to Mitchell being charged with violating his bond conditions he received computer warnings that Mitchell's GPS was either getting low or had died.
Rabren also testified that the monitoring system begins to vibrate to notify the user that it needs to be charged and a green light begins flashing red. He said those incidents happened on April 2, April 8 and April 24, where the GPS on Mitchell either got low or shut down.
Rabren said Mitchell was contacted in the first three incidents and the GPS was recharged.
About 5 a.m. on May 9, Rabren testified he received an email that Mitchell's battery had 12 percent or less power and was about to shut down.
When he got to the office, he learned the monitoring device shut down a few minutes after 5 a.m. and wasn't reactivated until 10:58 a.m. Rabren also testified once the battery dies, it stops tracking.
“So he could be in Mobile, Pensacola, Pritchard or wherever and you wouldn't know about it? District Attorney Steve Billy asked.
“Correct,” Rabren testified. “Once the battery is dead, it won't track his location for that time period.”
Rabren also testified that Mitchell was given proper instructions on when and how to keep the GPS monitor working.
Mitchell testified on May 9 when the monitor went off he was sleeping when the battery died and when he woke up he charged it.
Judge Rice asked him about the other three times the monitor got low or the battery died.
“When it vibrated, like when it told me, I went and charged it, but he was already sending me a message,” Mitchell testified.
Billy told Judge Rice it was a simple process.
“It seems intentional after this fourth time,” Billy said. “So, I would ask the court to revoke his bond and be held, especially with the nature of these charges, be held without bond until this case is disposed of.”
Judge Rice granted the state's motion to revoke Mitchell's bond pending future events in the case. Mitchell is currently being held in the Escambia County Detention Center with no bond.
Mitchell's mother, Yashetta McKenzie, 36, 1440 Tumbling Lane, Atmore and Mitchell's aunt LaToya McKenzie, 33, also of Atmore, have both been charged with attempted murder involving the same incident.
