Murder suspect freed after 2 more charges
Published 11:30 am Friday, November 9, 2012
A Vicksburg man scheduled to stand trial for murder next year walked free Thursday after a judge ruled there was no probable cause to hold him without bail on two separate felony charges.
Rondell Galvin, 22, 209 Overlook Drive, was released Thursday after being held without bail since his arrest on Oct. 29, when he was charged with burglary and malicious mischief, according to jail records. He will stand trial in April for murder in a separate case.
County Court Judge Johnny Price ruled that there was not probable cause to hold Galvin without bail.
“We did our best to try to keep him in jail, but the court decided there was not probable cause,” District Attorney Ricky Smith said.
The burglary and malicious mischief charges were dismissed without prejudice, which Smith said means they can be and are expected to be presented to the January term of the Warren County grand jury.
Galvin and another man were charged with breaking into a woman’s apartment while she was there with two small children, Sheriff Martin Pace said. She said they made threats toward her, turned over furniture and caused damage to the apartment.
In May, Galvin was indicted for murder in the shooting death of William Jones Jr., 20, 280 Curry St. Galvin is accused of shooting Jones in the front yard of his Curry Street home at about 2:15 a.m. on July 15, 2011. Jones’ body was found on the lawn of the home by his family after they heard gunshots.
If convicted in Jones’ death, Galvin could be sentenced to life in prison.
Despite the murder charge, Galvin was released from jail on a $250,000 bail on the day after Jones died. He was on bail when arrested last month.
Galvin also is believed to have been fighting with Everett Defrance, 22, 227 High Hill Drive, after a private party early on Easter morning at the Vicksburg Convention Center.
Defrance is accused of firing a shot into the convention center ceiling, police have said. Jones was Defrance’s cousin.
Defrance was indicted in August and his case is expected to go to trial Nov. 26 for aggravated assault and malicious mischief.
Galvin’s attorney is Jackson attorney Chokwe Antar Lumumba.