UPDATED 12/29, 10:45 a.m. ET: According to the attorney for the suspect in the killing of Takeoff, a Texas judge has denied the request to reduce his bond to $300,000.
Per CNN, Harris County Judge Josh Hill confirmed on Wednesday that Patrick Xavier Clark’s bond will remain at $1 million because he’s a potential flight risk. “We complied with every requirement that the judge asked of us, only to be told today that it [the bond] would not be lowered,” said Clark’s attorney Letitia Quinones. “So yes, we are very disappointed. We disagree. And frankly, we’re very surprised.”
Quinones called Clark’s high bond amount unconstitutional due to the financial situation of him and his family, and that it was only set at $1 million due to the “high profile” nature of the case. “The fight is not over. We do believe without a shadow of a doubt that when the time comes, we will be able to show Mr. Clark’s innocence in this,” Quinones said. “I think something has been lost with all the hype and all the tragedy that’s involved in this offense, and that’s Mr. Clark is presumed innocent.”
See original story below.
The suspect charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Takeoff appeared in court this week as his attorneys tried to lower his bond, ABC 13 Houston reports.
33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark, who has been charged with murder in the Migos rapper’s death, is currently being held on a $1 million bond. His attorneys are asking for it to be lowered to $300,000. He was initially being held on a $2 million bond, but a judge in the case agreed to reduce the amount during Clark’s last appearance in court.
Clark’s defense attorney has argued that the bond amount is still too high, and believes a figure of $300,000 is more appropriate. If Judge Hosh Hill agrees to lower the amount again, Clark could be released from custody this week. In order to bond him out of jail, Clark’s attorney said that his family is willing to put up their Houston home as collateral. The family has also agreed to sign a bond issued by a bondsman if it’s lowered.
Prosecutors in the case believe that Clark hasn’t been truthful about his financial assets, however, despite his request earlier this month to be granted $5,000 to hire a private investigator to aid his defense. Hill has stated that Clark is potentially a flight risk, and has requested an investigation into his finances. During a jail phone call, Clark allegedly said the $2 million figure was payable.
According to detectives in the case, Clark was identified as the alleged gunman in the killing of Takeoff after footage of the incident showed him holding a gun in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. The footage appears to show him firing his weapon, while his fingerprints were also discovered on the wine bottle. He also allegedly searched for his name online following the shooting, although his attorney has claimed he was not aware he was the prime suspect in the killing.
