Judge sets new bond of $400K for suspect in attempted murder case

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office booking photo

Alfred D. Sanders

A judge has set a significantly higher bond for a man whose case could spark changes in the way bond procedures work in Douglas County.

In the past two years, Alfred Dewayne Sanders, 47, of Lawrence, has been released from the Douglas County Jail three times after posting bond, court records show. In two of those cases, he’d been arrested on suspicion of drug offenses and theft, but in the first and most severe pending case, he was charged with attempted second-degree murder and other counts after allegedly firing a gun into an occupied car.

A few days after Sanders’ most recent release in early June, Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson told the Journal-World that he wanted to discuss changing procedures that allowed Sanders to post bond and get out of jail before his office was notified that he was in custody.

“I want to determine if a new screening mechanism can be implemented that would be completed prior to a suspect being released on a scheduled bond,” Branson said on June 4.

The DA’s office filed a motion to revoke Sanders’ bond that day, alleging he had violated bond conditions that he not use drugs or possess firearms, court documents show.

Sanders was booked into the jail again Sunday on a warrant, records show. On Wednesday, a judge set his bond in the attempted murder case at $400,000.

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At around 2 a.m. Feb. 5, 2018, police responded to a report of shots being fired at a vehicle on Iowa Street near Bob Billings Parkway. The victims in that case — two men and a woman — alleged that a man pulled up beside their car while they were driving and fired three gunshots into the car, the Journal-World has reported. They said they had argued with Sanders earlier that night inside Astro’s Billiards and Bar, and police arrested Sanders within hours.

Sanders was later charged with attempted second-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a gun at an occupied vehicle and criminal damage to property. He posted $60,000 bond and was released from jail on Feb. 26, 2018.

According to Douglas County District Court records, Sanders was arrested again this February on a bench warrant and charged with two drug-related felonies that prosecutors allege occurred in June 2018. He posted bond of $2,500 in that case and was released Feb. 23, court records show.

He was arrested again June 1 and charged with a few counts of drug possession and with theft for allegedly stealing a .45-caliber Glock handgun. The motion to revoke his bond also alleges that a .50-caliber black powder rifle was found in his vehicle’s trunk that day. He was released from jail after posting $4,500 bond, court records indicate.

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Sanders appeared for a bond hearing without an attorney on Wednesday. Douglas County District Court Chief Judge Peggy Kittel told him it is not unusual for defense attorneys to not attend bond hearings, and they are not generally notified when their clients are picked up on a warrant.

Sanders told the judge he had not missed any of his scheduled appearances while out on bond. He said he’s “at the mercy of the court.”

Ultimately, Kittel agreed with the prosecutor’s request to set his bond at $400,000 cash or surety in the attempted murder case, and at $10,000 and $5,000 in the other two cases. Sanders also has two traffic cases pending, with bonds of $100 each.

Sanders’ next court appearance is set for 2 p.m. July 31. All of Sanders’ cases mentioned in this article are pending, and the allegations against him have not been proved in court.

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