Judge reduces bond for man jailed more than five years awaiting trial in Lawrence
A man who has been jailed more than five years awaiting resolution of a murder case had his bond reduced Wednesday by a Douglas County judge.
Judge James McCabria changed Rontarus Washington’s bond from $750,000 to $500,000 during a hearing held over Zoom.
Washington is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated burglary in the November 2014 death of Justina Altamirano Mosso.
To be released, Washington would need to post 10% of the $500,000. More than $36,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign.
In the wake of protests that have swept across the nation calling for racial justice, protesters on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence have been advocating for Washington’s release.
Washington was arrested in January 2015 and his first trial ended in a hung jury in September 2019.
During closing arguments at that trial, prosecutors said DNA evidence pointed to Washington while defense attorneys alleged that Mosso’s ex-husband was the true perpetrator.
Defense attorney Angela Keck argued Wednesday that Washington’s bond should be reduced to $20,000, citing three changed circumstances: the risk of exposure to the coronavirus in jail, that the first trial ended in a hung jury and that more funds had become available to post his bond.
Douglas County assistant district attorney Alice Walker said bonds on murder cases have been set between $500,000 and $1 million and that $750,000 was proportional. She also said no COVID-19 cases have been identified in the Douglas County Jail.
McCabria said the bond consideration was “not an easy decision.”
Because of the pandemic, a second trial date has not been set.
