THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 1, 1996 TAG: 9606010221
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 47 lines
Murder suspect Tobin Jones escaped from home arrest by cutting his electronic monitoring bracelets with scissors after he allegedly tampered with the phone lines that allow the system to work, according to court testimony Friday.
The bracelets were supposed to alert authorities if Jones left the house or tried to remove them, but did not work because he had deactivated the system the night of May 17, Norfolk jail officials said.
Jones had been arrested on stalking charges and placed on the home monitoring device the week after his wife was killed, but before her body was found. He was later charged with her murder.
In a Circuit Court hearing on Friday, a judge upheld a decision that Jones be kept in jail without bond. Jones testified during the hearing that he cut the bracelets so he could fulfill a contractual obligation with a mental health facility in North Carolina.
``After a great deal of thought, I did remove the bracelets and place them directly above the monitoring device,'' Jones testified. ``I just cut them with a pair of scissors, sir.''
Jail official Michael P. O'Toole said in an interview Friday that the bracelets, which cost $2,500 apiece, have not been found.
The house where Jones said he left the monitors was cleaned out by Jones' family, O'Toole said. They may have them or they may have thrown them out, he said.
Jones said in an interview after the hearing that the decision to breach the house arrest system was difficult and posed a great ``ethical dilemma.''
He said a judge gave him written permission to work as a consultant on May 17 in North Carolina, reviewing patient files. But when jail officials took him home they told him he had to stay there until Monday, May 20, he said.
``When I was released,'' Jones said. ``To my great surprise, I was told I was under house arrest and would not be able to leave until Monday morning. . should honor my contractual obligations (with the mental health center).''
Jones said Friday he did not tamper with the phone lines, though he admitted he cut the bracelets. ILLUSTRATION: Tobin Jones deactivated a monitoring device May 17. by CNB