Victim's Family Wants Murder Suspect's Bond Revoked

ENFIELD, N.C. — Relatives of a Halifax County woman have started an online petition to get the bond of the suspect in her death revoked.

Courtney Hawkins is accused of shooting and killing Shinette Reshel McDaniel at her home on April 30, 2007, in front of her 4-year-old son.

Hawkins now lives a few doors away from the victim's family, relatives say.

He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and was in jail under a $500,000 secured bond until February. That's when Judge Milton Fitch Jr., a visiting judge from Wilson County, lowered the bond to $250,000.

In the petition, McDaniel's relatives said Hawkins' previous requests for reduced bond had been denied and that Fitch lacked necessary knowledge about the case when he reduced the bond.

"After failed attempts by the defense attorney for a bond reduction, in the presence of judges who were familiar with the circumstances of this case, he was finally given a bond reduction by a judge with no familiarity of the case," the petition said.

Halifax County District Attorney Bill Graham said his office opposed the bond reduction, but said bond decisions and what restrictions they include are at the judge's discretion.