The suspect charged in the death of rapper Takeoff has been released from jail after paying the $1 million bond
By Alaa Elassar and Rebekah Riess, CNN
The suspect charged with murder in the death of Migos member Takeoff posted the $1 million bond set for him and was released from jail Tuesday, according to CNN affiliate KPRC.
In December, Harris County Judge Josh Hill kept Patrick Xavier Clark’s bond at $1 million, denying a reduction, reasoning that Clark may be a flight risk.
“Neither Patrick nor his family posted the bond in this case. A concerned citizen and family friend who believes in Patrick’s innocence posted the bond on his behalf,” his attorney Letitia Quinones said in a statement.
Clark “intends to comply fully” with the terms laid out by the court, Quinones said, and “will appear for proceedings whenever the court requires him to do so.”
“We believe Patrick is innocent and at the appropriate time, the evidence will reveal that to be the case,” Quinones said.
Clark, 33, was arrested early December on the east side of Houston, one month after Takeoff was shot and killed outside a business after a private event.
Takeoff, who was a member of the platinum-selling rap group Migos, was 28. His uncle Quavo and cousin Offset were the other two members of the trio.
Police believe Takeoff was an innocent bystander to an argument that took place outside a bowling alley that led to the shooting. He was unarmed and not involved in the argument.
Prosecutors argued Clark is a flight risk
After Judge Hill denied Clark’s bond reduction request in December, Quinones argued that the $1 million bond was unconstitutional due to Clark and his family’s financial situation being “average.”
Prosecutors in Harris County had argued Clark should be considered a “flight risk.”
Shortly after the killing, Clark allegedly applied for an expedited passport, which he received immediately before his arrest, according to the motion filed by prosecutors. When Clark was arrested, he had a “large amount of cash money,” the court document added.
Prosecutors also made several other requests, including that Clark surrender “any and all passports, visas, or other travel documents,” be barred from leaving the immediate vicinity of Harris County and be subject to a curfew.
Quinones said in a news conference at the time that her office was “surprised” by the decision.
“We complied with every requirement that the judge asked of us, only to be told today that it [the bond] would not be lowered. So yes, we are very disappointed. We disagree. And frankly, we’re very surprised,” Quinones said.
“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.
The-CNN-Wire
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