Judge won’t raise bond for teen murder defendant Kellam Jones
A judge on Friday denied a request from prosecutors to raise the bond of a 17-year-old murder suspect who is accused in a June 7 botched robbery in east Lawrence.
District Judge Michael Malone said he had appropriately set bond for Kellam D. Jones at $250,000. Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson had asked Malone to double it based on the severity of the allegation and potentially long sentence if convicted.
Jones faces charges of felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery. A felony murder conviction carries a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
Julia Spainhour, a defense attorney of the Northeast Kansas Conflict Office, said Jones would be unable to make his $250,000 bond anyway. Spainhour and Kip Elliott took over the case after Craig Stancliffe withdrew earlier this week because of conflicts with potential witnesses and his busy caseload.
Prosecutors accuse Jones and Gage Hauk, 18, of trying to rob Roland Klundt, on June 7 at Klundt’s home, 1311 Del. Prosecutors allege Klundt shot and killed Hauk to try to stop the robbery and that Jones then killed Klundt.
Malone also scheduled a preliminary hearing for Nov. 13.