Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 24, 1993 TAG: 9308240493
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Authorities were searching Monday evening for Kevin Todd Hall, 31.
Pulaski Circuit Judge Dow Owens allowed Hall out on a $25,000 bond for five hours Saturday after Hall's father appealed to the judge to release his son for the family get-together at the Robinson Tract Community Center.
A jury sentenced Hall to prison July 27 after convicting him of malicious wounding. In addition to the prison term, the jury fined him $25,000.
The bond, covering the five hours from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., stipulated that Hall be in the presence of a police officer at all times.
Sheriff Ralph Dobbins said his office was simply following orders.
"We're only acting on orders from Circuit Court," Dobbins said. "I'm not the one that authorized this."
Owens said by telephone Monday that Hall's father had asked that his son be allowed to attend the gathering and had posted a $25,000 property bond.
Hall was allowed to be in plain clothes and was not handcuffed because family members would be attending from out-of-state who were not aware of Hall's record, Owens said.
Owens said the temporary bond was not unusual, adding that inmates sometimes are let out to attend family events such as funerals.
Hall had noted an appeal of the jury's verdict and, although he was sent to jail after being sentenced, Owens said he still could have been eligible for an appeal bond.
Hall had been released on bond in the past and had appeared in court when he was supposed to, the judge said.
Owens, who was notified of Hall's escape Sunday, said a bond forfeiture hearing will be held.
About 3 p.m., Hall "made his way out of sight of a deputy," Dobbins said. He apparently escaped into some woods.
Dobbins believes the escape was "a set thing in his mind - that he wasn't coming back" to the jail Saturday evening.
"I don't look for him to call and say he's made a mistake and wants to come back," the sheriff said.
"We've been running down, ever since this happened, people that were there" in an attempt to find out "how many accomplices did he have, or did he have any," Dobbins said."
"Right now, we're just running down leads. We're not any closer than we were Saturday," Dobbins said.
Hall is 6-foot-1, weighs 185 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes.
by CNB