Pugh heads to Escambia grand jury

A Brewton man who is accused of making terrorist threats against an Escambia County (Ala.) circuit judge, other attorneys and threatening to burn down a Brewton law office will see his case headed to a grand jury after Conecuh County Judge Clint Hyde ruled there was probable cause that he committed the crimes.

Jason Warren Pugh, 53, 3494 McGougin Road, was issued a $150,000 bond on the terrorist threats, but remains in the Escambia County Detention Center on a failure to appear warrant.

With Escambia County judges recusing themselves from a preliminary hearing involving Pugh, Judge Hyde presided over the hearing.

Pugh is accused of making telephone calls threatening to burn down the Otts and Moore law office with everyone inside and threatening Circuit Judge Todd Stearns and attorneys Earnest White, Danny White and Mike Godwin.

Pugh's attorney, Kyle Henderson, asked Judge Hyde to grant a motion to have the district attorney's office recuse itself from the case noting that Judge Stearns served as an an assistant district attorney under District Attorney Steve Billy and felt he would be biased in the case.

Billy told the judge he had no plans to recuse.

Judge Hyde denied the motion but did tell Henderson and Pugh that he had a relationship with the Otts and Moore law firm. He noted he didn't know of any law that prevented a district attorney from prosecuting someone when the victim was a friend.

"If this is an issue with your client, we need to know now," Judge Hyde said of his relationship with the law firm.

Judge Hyde said his father and Attorney Thad Moore were roommates in college and that he has done some work with that law firm.

Pugh said he was comfortable with Judge Hyde presiding over the preliminary hearing.

Melanie Smith, an employee at Otts and Moore, testified that on Oct. 20, 2020, the caller left 12 messages and the caller identified himself as Pugh and left his phone number.

She said in some of the messages he was coming to Brewton to burn down Judge Stearns' house, the law office and made threats against other lawyers.

She said they called the police and locked the doors at the law office.

She also said Pugh used vulgar and sexual language in his messages.

Henderson questioned whether Smith could positively identify Pugh's voice on the messages. She said no. She added that Pugh said he was going to kill former District Attorney Mike Godwin, who works at the law firm, but changed his mind.

She also said Pugh left a message saying he was inside her house going through her panty drawer.

Judge Stearns testified that he listened to the tapes and heard Pugh threaten to burn down his house and the law office.

The U.S. Marshal's office was able to 'ping' Pugh's cell phone and tracked him down in Louisiana, where he was arrested.

Stearns also said he took the threats seriously, noting he had a child at home when Pugh was threatening to burn it down.

"Pugh had one arson conviction, maybe two," Stearns testified. "When he threatened to burn my house down, he had a history."

Stearns also said Pugh "has quite a history in the court system".

Henderson told the judge that he didn't believe there was probable cause that Jason Pugh made those telephone calls.

However, Judge Hyde disagreed and bound the case over to the grand jury.