Tolbert’s family blasts DA over Pettaway bond reduction, release
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
On July 25, around 80 friends and family gathered to remember local shooting victim Jatyrain Aquamini ‘Tank’ Tolbert, who was 22 years old when he was shot to death a year to the day earlier while he sat in his car on a city street.
And, while strong tribute was paid to Tolbert during the gathering, it also served a dual purpose, doubling as a protest of the release from jail of the man accused of the murder.
Antonio LeMarcus Pettaway II of Mobile, now 20, was out of jail on bond for carrying a pistol onto a Mobile school campus in 2022 when the shooting occurred. He surrendered to local authorities and was held in the Escambia County Detention Center under a $500,0000 bond until May 30, when that bond was reduced to $75,000. Someone posted the bond on his behalf, and Pettaway was released.
Tolbert’s niece, Shritha King, organized the memorial and spoke on behalf of the family. She said the year since the shooting was committed has turned from one of confusion into one of bewilderment at District Attorney Steve Billy’s apparent complete turnaround regarding Pettaway’s release.
“We want answers, and the DA hasn’t given us any,” King said. “It’s been a year, and we’re kind of confused. How does — after someone is out on bond for having a gun on campus at a school, is then bonded out, comes to Atmore and commits a murder — end up back out on bond again? That’s not acceptable, and the DA should make it make sense. We want justice.”
King said the family’s bewilderment arose from the statements the DA made when Pettaway originally went before a judge for bond.
According to published accounts, the DA told District Court Judge Eric Coale shortly after Pettaway’s arrest that witnesses against the Mobile man were “scared to death.” He added that, if Pettaway were to make bond, “we may not have any witnesses alive” when and if the case eventually goes to trial.
“How can he say all those things, then let this happen?” King asked. “This last year has been a year of pain, hurt, tears and sleepless nights, not knowing if we’re going to get justice or not.”
According to sources within the county courthouse, the District Attorney or someone from his office can argue against any bond reduction, if he so chooses.
“Usually, if there is a motion filed to reduce or set bond, the judge (usually Coale, but in Pettaway’s case, Circuit Judge Jeff White) will set it for a hearing,” the source said. “I understand that at that hearing, the DA can argue against it or fight it.”
King and her sister (the shooting victim’s mother), along with other family members and friends, have been more than disappointed in the DA and his office.
“We have called often but never gotten any answers,” she said. “We didn’t even know about his bond hearing. We haven’t heard anything, except to be told that it’s a waiting game. We understand that, but we also understand that another murder that was committed right after Tank was killed, is already going to court in September.”
She concluded with a statement on how the DA’s actions have shaken the family’s trust in the legal system.
“We feel like it’s a slap in our face for the DA to let stuff like this happen,” she said. “It’s not fair to me, not fair to my sister, not fair to his daddy, his kids, his aunt or any of us. My sister has to go to the grave to talk to her son; Pettaway’s mom gets to look in his face, talk to him, kiss and hug him. My sister can’t do that anymore. It’s just not fair.”