Oklahoma: After a fatal shooting in June 2023 that claimed the life of 31-year-old Justin Smith, 23-year-old Jonathan Thomas was taken into custody. Thomas was accused with first-degree murder by the prosecution. In the wee hours of June 12, 2023, at a pub in Southeast Oklahoma City, Thomas allegedly shot Smith in the chest, according to an affidavit submitted to Oklahoma County District Court.
Jonathan Thomas Remains Under House Arrest
Thomas was initially required to post a $25 million bond; he had since been housed in the Oklahoma County Detention Center. After more than a year in jail while awaiting his trial which has been postponed twice Thomas’ public lawyers filed a motion to lower his bond. Despite the prosecutors’ objections, Judge Susan Stallings reduced Thomas’ bond on Tuesday, provided he remains under house arrest and wears a GPS tracking device. A day later, Thomas secured a $25,000 bond and left the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Victim’s Family
The victim’s relatives, who were present at the bond reduction hearing, claimed that the judge made remarks about Thomas’s weight loss and expressed worries about his health. Judge Susan Stallings has been contacted for comment. Judges in Oklahoma, however, are generally prohibited by the Judicial Code of Conduct from making comments about cases that fall outside the purview of their duties regarding the docket of events related to the case.