Capital murder suspect removes ankle monitor, and nobody noticed

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) - Nobody seemed to notice when a Houston County man given bond despite facing the most serious of criminal charges removed his court-ordered ankle monitor.

31-year-old Jamie Emmanuel Townes, who faces Capital Murder allegations, was not wearing the device when Dothan police arrested him Sunday on an unrelated robbery charge. It’s unclear how long it had been off.

“To understand and find out the monitor was removed… that is concerning,” Houston County District Attorney Russ Goodman reacted.

Prosecuting attorneys objected to the $350,000 bond that a trio of surety companies posted for Townes in 2021, three years after his arrest in the brutal shooting of Breunia Jennings, a 23-year-old woman who had stolen his car.

“(Townes) is considered, at least in our opinion, a dangerous person,” Goodman said.

With the death penalty removed from the table but life without parole still a possibility, Circuit Judge Todd Derrick put conditions on Townes’ bond, including the ankle monitor requirement.

But that is where judicial involvement apparently ended, with judges relying on bonding companies or their representatives to deal with the matter.

Charles Ted Herring, who placed the monitor on Townes, told WTVY he was unaware that Townes had removed the device and speculated low battery issues could be to blame.

But he said monitoring issues go beyond technical matters, and to a lack of involvement by the justice system.

Herring declined to elaborate, but promised to provide additional information in the future about what he terms a “complex issue.”

Goodman, district attorney only a month, admits he is befuddled, but promises a sincere look at how these matters are handled.

“We’re going to pay a little more attention to who’s getting ankle monitors (and) who’s monitoring the individuals out on bond,” he said.

Following Townes’ arrest last weekend on the robbery charge, Judge Derrick revoked his bond, which will likely leave him locked up until his murder trial, possibly in mid-year.

Townes’ attorney, Adam Parker, will almost certainly attempt to convince jurors that Townes acted in self-defense when he shot Jennings.

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