Perez
With four guards stationed at each exit, security was tight in Bartholomew Circuit Court Thursday during a bond hearing for a man accused of seriously wounding his brother and nephew last summer.
Investigators say Robbie L. Perez, 25, of Homer, an unincorporated town in Rush County, stood on the porch of a Hope residence and shot George Perez Jr., who was 36 at the time of the shooting, and his son, 3-year-old Kingston. The June 1 shootings took place at the home of the victims in the 300 block of Elm Street in Hope.
The father and son were transported to Indianapolis hospitals by Lifeline helicopter and survived the attack. George Perez, Jr. was in the courtroom during Thursday’s hearing, telling the court that he was not afraid if his brother was released on bond, Bartholomew County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Kimberly Sexton-Yeager told Judge Kelly Benjamin.
“Love you, bro,” the defendant said loudly to the older victim while being led out of the courtroom by deputies. In response, George Perez, Jr. said a brief “hmm.” Shortly after the shootings, investigators said there had been a long-running feud between the two brothers.
Robbie Perez is charged with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony, as well as two counts of aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death. Both battery counts are Level 3 felonies, so the defendant could face from 56 to 72 years in prison if convicted of all charges, Sexton-Yeager told the court.
While bond is set at $500,000 or 10% cash, Perez said he can only afford a maximum of $5,000.
Public defender Joseph Villanueva said there were only a few felony convictions on Perez’s criminal record that go back about 15 years ago, adding the defendant had a job waiting for him in a smoke shop to help support himself.
But Sexton-Yeager said Robbie Perez’s arrests include receiving stolen property in 2008; attempted burglary in 2009; theft in both 2006 and 2007; failure to appear for court hearings in 2009 and 2020 and violation of probation.
There are indications that Robbie Perez is psychologically unstable, the chief deputy prosecutor said. Besides allegedly shooting his brother and nephew, the defendant shot himself in the chin moments after a police pursuit ended in Franklin.
Perez is charged in Johnson Superior Court 2 with resisting law enforcement as a Level 6 felony. Judge Peter D. Nugent set bond at $1,000, which the defendant said he paid last June, according to online court records.
The defendant is also charged with a legal violation that took place Oct. 11 at the Bartholomew County Jail. Sexton-Yeager said Perez had left a window open in the medical wing.
While Villanueva dismissed most offenses listed by the deputy prosecutor as “just allegations,” Sexton-Yeager reminded the judge of Perez’s behavior during earlier court hearings.
For example, Perez had lied to Benjamin about the number of vehicles he owned and hid a number of them to avoid having to sell them to pay for his legal defense, the deputy prosecutor said. There was also a hearing where Perez kept yawning, giving the appearance he was disinterested in the proceedings, she said. Sexton-Yeager reminded the judge that she stopped the proceedings for a moment to ask the defendant if the hearing was boring him.
“He has no respect for this court,” said Sexton-Yeager, who emphasized there would be a community safety issue if the defendant were free on bond.
Benjamin agreed with most of the chief deputy prosecutor’s arguments, describing the defendant as “less than compliant or respectful of all persons connected with the court.”
Thursday’s decision means Perez will likely remain in the Bartholomew County Jail as he awaits ea pre-trial conference or change of plea hearing set for 1:45 p.m. on March 25. The trial is currently scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on April 23rd.
The story is by Mark Webber of The (Columbus) Republic, a sister newspaper of the Daily Journal.
