Murder suspect booked in burglary

BAKER — Police investigating a Monday burglary arrested three people, including a suspect in a murder case who was free on bail and wearing an ankle-monitoring bracelet, Police Chief Mike Knaps said.

Derrick S. Lucas, 18, 2602 Boxwood Drive, Baker, was identified through eyewitness accounts as one of three suspects in the burglary of a Balm Street residence, Knaps said.

Lucas was free on bail after being arrested on a count of second-degree murder in the August slaying of Joshua Weathersby, whose body was discovered in a wooded area off La. 19 and Ray Weiland Drive in Baker.

Lucas was booked at Parish Prison early Wednesday, along with Stevon Jones and Broderick Morgan, on one count each of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and criminal damage to property.

Morgan, 20, 2911 Circle Drive, and Jones, 17, 8003 Biscayne Drive, also were booked with two counts each of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

Knaps said the two left stolen property with two juveniles that detectives later recovered.

The police chief said records show Lucas, since his arrest in the homicide, also was arrested again on a criminal trespass count while free on bail.

Comments

1) Comment by CountryAttorney - 19/07/2012

@Klypt: I would like to know what his bail was set at for his murder charge. If you have any inside knowledge to that fact, please let us know. Also, if you could inform us of where that information is attainable, you would be doing us all a huge favor. The electorate needs to know this information so we can make informed decisions when voting for judges.

2) Comment by CountryAttorney - 19/07/2012

@RiverRat: Our state constitution provides that every criminal defendant is entitled to bail unless he is charged with 1st degree murder. La. Const. Art. 1, Sec. 18. So you can't blame anyone for him being out of jail despite his being charged with 2nd degree murder. Under our constitution he is still entitled to bail despite his subsequent charges of simple burglary and trespass. All the judge can do is set his bail at a higher amount. If the judge does not set it to the highest amount allowable by law, then he or she will have screwed the people royally! I hope the this rat's new bail is unreachable...he's a menace to society and a danger to all of us!

3) Comment by Klypt - 19/07/2012

well. you can thank Judge Don johnson for that. he is the one that kept him on the street. Maybe it is time to get rid of Johnson.

4) Comment by RiverRat - 19/07/2012

He’s out walking the streets after a murder charge and robbing people’s homes with a ankle monitor on, sad.