Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Suspects To Be Monitored (cont)

t off State Line Ave. in Texarkana. He also informed the court he is a minister.

Needham told the court Craig has been employed with the company for about two-and-a-half months and was there Friday.

He had Friday's time cards on hand, which showed Craig to have been working in building 23 at 10:30 a.m.

Needham testified the work crew turned their tools in at the shop at 4:15 Friday evening and it was about 4:35 when everyone had gone for the day.

He said it was possible for Craig to have gotten from Texarkana to Prescott at the time he was allegedly seen, but only if he were traveling by Lear jet.

Rodgers asked if Needham had been on the job all day Friday. "Yes," he responded, "I have to know where all the individuals are. I was there Friday and saw him (Craig)."

Craig's wife said her husband was asleep on their couch at their home in Hooks, Texas, when she got home Friday evening around 6:00.

She said they had not been in Nevada County during the Thanksgiving holidays because they were at her mother's home in Leary, Texas.

However, when questioned by Rodgers, Mrs. Craig said they did travel through the county Sunday, Jan. 26, on their way to Gurdon, where Toby's brother was being baptized.

She said they had checked with Jerry Sloan, Craig's bail bondsman, before going to Gurdon, and were told there should be no problem in crossing Nevada County. However, they didn't ask the court for permission before making the trip.

She said when they left Texarkana, they stopped to get something to drink in Hope, then went straight to Gurdon, without stopping in Nevada County.

Once the baptism and reception were over, she said, they went straight back home.

Rodgers asked the court to make a finding, because Craig's wife admitted they had violated the conditions of the written court order Sunday.

"All this came up with a traffic stop with Johnny Cason by the ASP," he said of the court's conditions for bond. "They need to comply with it.

"Craig did what he said he wouldn't do -- come in or through Nevada County," except as stated in the bond agreement. This is only for court appearances and to see his attorney.

Honey said the allegations made of Craig being in the county Friday were obviously not true and asked the court to consider taking action against those making the claims.

"What brought us here today," he said, "is much ado about nothing.

"Sunday his brother was being baptized in Gurdon. He called his bondsman asking if it would hurt anything, and was told it wouldn't. So they did it.

"If he is in violation of the court order, he owes the court an apology. He checked with the person he thought he ought to."

Honey said it would be ridiculous for the court to revoke Craig's bond for going through the county to see his brother be baptized.

He said the court should, instead, be concerned with those getting on the stand and perjuring themselves, or intentionally trying to harm Craig and his family.

If charges aren't filed against them, he said, the court should condemn them for their actions.

Rodgers argued the conditions of the bond agreement had been violated, and those conditions originally came from Honey during the bond reduction hearing.

"If he didn't want to comply with the conditions," Rodgers told Honey, "you shouldn't have gotten the judge to sign them. They need to be enforced or taken out."

Eighth Judicial District Circuit Judge Philip Purifoy said the bond was in effect Sunday and will remain in effect.

He ordered Craig to wear an electronic monitoring device, saying he would work out the details with Bowie County, Texas, as this is where Craig lives.

Purifoy said he will contact Honey once the details of Craig's wearing the device are worked out and in place.

Bond was not revoked for either Craig nor Cason for allegedly violating the terms of the agreement.