Murder suspect allowed to remain free on bond, with new restriction

By Archive

Published: June 12, 2008

ENTERPRISE – Enterprise resident Delma Gene Johnson, who has been charged in the May 10 shooting death of his late wife Linda Johnson, was ordered by District Judge Paul Sherling Thursday afternoon to be placed on a telephone-based monitoring system after he was found to be in violation of conditions of his $100,000 bond.

Assistant District Attorney Tom Anderson said he filed a petition with the court on Monday after learning last week that Johnson violated conditions of his bond by living with his brother in the Daleville area instead of maintaining his residence on North Rawls Street in Enterprise, which was one of Johnson’s bond conditions.

“As for him living in Dale County, that’s true,” defense attorney Warren Rowe told the judge.

“He shot himself in the foot,” Rowe said. “He wasn’t able to take care of himself.

“I told him it was OK.”

Rowe said he takes responsibility for Johnson’s actions. He apologized to the judge for not notifying the court of the address change.

Rowe also said there had been allegations that Johnson drove down to the victim’s daughter’s home, but he said it was not true. He said it was Johnson’s brother, Bobby, who borrowed Johnson’s car and went to Florida.

Anderson also noted that maintaining his job was another condition of Johnson’s bond. He said Johnson has also failed to keep up that condition. However, Rowe said his client is on leave until his foot heals.

“As soon as he is able to go back to work, assuming he still has a job, he will go back to work,” Rowe said.

Johnson told the court at his May 13 bond hearing that he has been employed by Fleet Support at Fort Rucker for 43 years and is now a supervisor.

Anderson asked Sherling to revoke Johnson’s bond and have him put back in jail until he faces trial.

“We don’t have a clue what Mr. Johnson has been doing the last three weeks,” Anderson told the judge. “I don’t know if he is a risk to the public at large. I know he shot his wife.”

Sherling opted for the telephone monitoring system instead, adding a warning that Johnson not violate the terms of what will become his amended court order. Sherling said the new order will allow Johnson to live with his brother in Daleville instead of Enterprise.

“These are not suggestions,” Sherling told Johnson. “This is an order.”

Sherling explained that the telephone monitoring system would call Johnson’s residence at random intervals during curfew times, which have been set for 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., He said the system uses voice recognition technology and would determine if Johnson was at the residence.

Sherling said if the system determines Johnson has violated curfew, he will be arrested.