Accused rapist gets bond reduction after hearing

Published 3:40 pm Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The bond of an accused rapist was lowered Tuesday afternoon, but not as much as the defense had hoped.

Andre Ellis, accused of raping two women at a Troy mobile home park in March, appeared in court before Judge William Hightower to request a bond reduction.

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Ellis’ attorney, J. Carlton Taylor, told the judge his client was not a flight risk due to strong family ties in the community. He also noted that Ellis is self-employed as an auto detailer and used vehicle salesman and “needs to get out” in order to keep his business from failing.

The prosecutor, however, objected. “We’re not talking about an isolated incident,” argued Pike County Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Moore, noting that one rape was “very, very brutal.”

“Mr. Ellis doesn’t have a great history appearing before the court,” Moore added.

WATCH VIDEO OF ELLIS ON TUESDAY BELOW.

Taylor argued that there was no DNA evidence, at this time, tying Ellis to the rapes and that a fair bond would be a total of $175,000 for all charges against him.

Before Tuesday, Ellis had two bonds of $200,000 for each rape case and a burglary charge with a $50,000 bond.

Hightower lowered each rape bond by $50,000, but did not reduce the burglary bond.

Ellis was arrested on April 25, just one day shy of the month anniversary of the crimes that occurred at Hunter’s Mountain Mobile Home Park off U.S. Highway 231 in Troy. He is scheduled to appear before a grand jury on July 31.