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The two women charged in the November shooting death of a Tar Heel man near Dublin had their bonds reduced Thursday morning in Bladen County Superior Court.
D’Nazya Sade Downing, who was being held on a $1 million bond, and Shanika Nicole Mitchell, who was being held on a $1.75 million bond, had their bonds reduced to $500,000 by Judge D. Jack Hooks. Meanwhile, Christopher James Baldwin’s request to reduce his $1 million bond was denied. Montise Arman Mitchell, the fourth suspect who was not in court Thursday, remains in custody on a $3 million bond.
The four are charged with first-degree murder, attempted first degree murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance in operation and felony conspiracy in the killing of Darrell Dionte Council at the intersection of Twisted Hickory Road and Center Road near Dublin about 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.
“She was an honor student (at West Bladen High School), had no record of any prior criminal activity and is no concern of being a flight risk,” said Wes Johnson, who is Shanika Mitchell’s lawyer. “If she gets out, she can go to a community college to get her high school diploma. She is only three courses short.”
District Attorney Glenn Emery requested the bond remain unchanged.
Testimony at Thursday’s bond hearings about the shooting said that Shanika Mitchell and Downing were riding in a vehicle with Council and his brother, Antwan, and were texting Montise Mitchell and Baldwin about their location.
The women were dropped off at Shanika’s mother’s house. A few minutes later, Downing testified, she heard “at least 20 shots.” She said that she and Shanika Mitchell left a few minutes later in a vehicle.
Downing’s lawyer, J.B. Lee, called Rev. Fredrick Culbreath, pastor of New Life Second Baptist Church in St. Pauls, and Downing’s grandmother, Shirley Butler, to the stand in her behalf. Lee also told the court that Downing is pregnant and due in July. Montise Mitchell is the father, Downing said.
“Did she cause the perpetrators to commit the act because of texts?,” Lee argued. “She has strong ties to the community. It would be ashamed to deliver her baby in prison. I ask bond be set based on resources and she be on house arrest.”
The state requested the bond not be changed.
In Baldwin’s case, the state requested bond be increased to $2 million. Baldwin’s lawyer, Gregory Bullard, requested it be reduced to $50,000.
“He turned himself in and has been cooperative,” Bullard said. “He’s made no effort to flee. I feel like he is not a flight risk.”
Council was shot while he and his brother were sitting in a vehicle at the intersection, according to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office. Two men approached the vehicle and started shooting. Council attempted to drive away from the scene and crashed into a ditch. His brother was not injured and left the vehicle to get help.
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