"Person of Interest" in Murder Was Convicted Felon Released Before Serving His Time
By: Lauren Trager, KARK
Updated: September 5, 2012
There are new answers as to why a convicted felon was walking the streets of Des Arc even though he hadn't yet served his time.
Now, two weeks after his conviction, he's a person of interest in a murder.
The Prairie County Sheriff says it's pretty common practice for him to release convicted felons until space is available for them in the prison system
But the felon's victims say it never should happened this way.
"I think they made a mistake letting him out, period," said Brenda Holloway.
April 17th, Holloway's son and his girlfriend Jelecia Jackson were at an apartment complex in Des Arc.
Frederick Owens, they say, got into a fight with Holloway's son and pulled a gun. Prosecutors arguing Owens intended to shoot to kill.
In a scuffle, he did fire, a ricochet bullet striking Jackson in the face. a piece of lead is still in her cheek.
"Fred, he need to get what he got coming to him," said Jackson said.
Owens pleaded guilty to two felony charges on August 20th this year and was sentenced to prison. instead that day, he walked away from jail.
"It was the recommendation given to me and that's what we done," said Prairie County Sheriff Gary Burnett.
Sheriff Burnett says he was approached by Owens' attorney at the time a plea deal was being negotiated. The attorney, Sheriff Burnett says, asked him to let Owens out of jail until bed space was available at the prison. Sheriff Burnett says he agreed because the attorney told him Des Arc police had said it was fine with them. It is unclear if in fact Des Arc police made that recommendation or why because they have not returned a call for comment. The Sheriff says he did not speak with Des Arc police personally before allowing Owens out of jail.
"They not right for that, they should have let him stay there until he went to prison," Jackson said.
Jackson is shocked that was allowed and even more so now.
Saturday, Owens was named a person of interest in the stabbing death of 29-year-old Donovan Buck.
"I feel like if he had been locked up, Donovan would still be here," said Jackson.
Owens is back behind bars now, being questioned in the murder.
Still, it's a lesson Sheriff Burnett says he's learned from.
"Do you regret it now?" the reporter asked. "Well, it's bad that it happened, I never had this happen," said Sheriff Burnett.
And he's considering changing his policies to ensure it doesn't happen again.
"We just move forward," he said.
But Holloway says it may be too little too late.
"I want them to do their job, I want them to protect us like they supposed to protect us," Holloway said.
The Des Arc police chief didn't return a call for comment.
Neither did the judge in Owens' shooting case.
The Department of Correction says it is up to each individual sheriff to decide what to do with prisoners in the county if there isn't room for them in the prison.
A backlog right now means prisoners can't get in for about six weeks after their conviction.
Now, two weeks after his conviction, he's a person of interest in a murder.
The Prairie County Sheriff says it's pretty common practice for him to release convicted felons until space is available for them in the prison system
But the felon's victims say it never should happened this way.
"I think they made a mistake letting him out, period," said Brenda Holloway.
April 17th, Holloway's son and his girlfriend Jelecia Jackson were at an apartment complex in Des Arc.
Frederick Owens, they say, got into a fight with Holloway's son and pulled a gun. Prosecutors arguing Owens intended to shoot to kill.
In a scuffle, he did fire, a ricochet bullet striking Jackson in the face. a piece of lead is still in her cheek.
"Fred, he need to get what he got coming to him," said Jackson said.
Owens pleaded guilty to two felony charges on August 20th this year and was sentenced to prison. instead that day, he walked away from jail.
"It was the recommendation given to me and that's what we done," said Prairie County Sheriff Gary Burnett.
Sheriff Burnett says he was approached by Owens' attorney at the time a plea deal was being negotiated. The attorney, Sheriff Burnett says, asked him to let Owens out of jail until bed space was available at the prison. Sheriff Burnett says he agreed because the attorney told him Des Arc police had said it was fine with them. It is unclear if in fact Des Arc police made that recommendation or why because they have not returned a call for comment. The Sheriff says he did not speak with Des Arc police personally before allowing Owens out of jail.
"They not right for that, they should have let him stay there until he went to prison," Jackson said.
Jackson is shocked that was allowed and even more so now.
Saturday, Owens was named a person of interest in the stabbing death of 29-year-old Donovan Buck.
"I feel like if he had been locked up, Donovan would still be here," said Jackson.
Owens is back behind bars now, being questioned in the murder.
Still, it's a lesson Sheriff Burnett says he's learned from.
"Do you regret it now?" the reporter asked. "Well, it's bad that it happened, I never had this happen," said Sheriff Burnett.
And he's considering changing his policies to ensure it doesn't happen again.
"We just move forward," he said.
But Holloway says it may be too little too late.
"I want them to do their job, I want them to protect us like they supposed to protect us," Holloway said.
The Des Arc police chief didn't return a call for comment.
Neither did the judge in Owens' shooting case.
The Department of Correction says it is up to each individual sheriff to decide what to do with prisoners in the county if there isn't room for them in the prison.
A backlog right now means prisoners can't get in for about six weeks after their conviction.
Comments
black man
lloyd b.
September 5, 2012 at 7:06 am
how about we take him out and hang him in front of the courthouse, oh yeah we wouldnt want to infringe on his civil rights, then someone would want to have a rally and have a march for him but its ok that he killed a white man but dont dare do anything like that to a balck man
lloyd b.
September 5, 2012 at 7:06 am
