Judge reduces bond for men held in shooting of 2 toddlers

Bond was reduced Tuesday for Keshawn Jennings, Antwaine Jones, and James Moore. The three men are the primary suspects in the August shooting of two toddlers.

Three men arrested on charges related to the shooting of two toddlers were given lower bonds in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday, although they remain the primary suspects in the murder, authorities said.

Keshawn Jennings, 20, of 244 Wasaon St., James Moore, 20, of 2037 W. Terrace View St., and Antwaine Jones, 18, of 3145 Cottage Ave., each pleaded not guilty last month to one count of felony obstructing justice after the death of 1-year-old Keondra Hooks and the wounding of her sister, Leondra, 2, following an Aug. 9 shooting.

Judge Frederick McDonald initially set bond in each case at $500,000, noting that the assistant prosecutor had indicated more charges were imminent. No additional charges have been filed, he noted.

Judge McDonald lowered the bond for Jennings and Moore to $20,000 each and to $10,000 for Jones. The judge also ordered that the men be placed on electronic monitoring if they were able to secure release. As of late Tuesday, the men were still in the Lucas County jail.

Keondra was shot once in the head when at least 12 rounds were fired into an apartment where she and her sister were sleeping at 2225 Kent St.. She died 12 hours later in Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center. Leondra was shot in the chest but survived.

Police say they believe that the shooters thought they were firing into a Moody Manor apartment claimed by the Manor Boys gang to take down a member of another gang.

Attorneys for the men argued that the felony three offense of obstructing justice did not warrant the large bond.

They further argued that an element of the charge is that the defendants’ actions must result in a hindrance to the investigation, something they claimed did not happen as detectives continue to investigate the case.

Assistant County Prosecutor Andy Lastra told Judge McDonald that the obstructing charges were the result of the three men allegedly lying to police about being at the Moody Manor that night. He said a video surveillance taken from the scene showed five people and that two of those people have since identified the three defendants as being there.

He added that witnesses observed at least one of the defendants jumping a fence near the complex. Mr. Lastra further stated that detectives anticipate charging the three.

“They are still the primary suspects in the murder and felonious assault,” he said.

The judge noted both Jennings and Moore had failed to appear in court several times.

He denied a request for recognizance bonds and noted that all three men had juvenile criminal histories as well as convictions as adults.

An Oct. 2 trial date has been set in each case.