Home For The Holidays: Marissa Alexander Released On Bail!

Around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, Marissa Alexander was granted a pretrial release with special conditions, according to the Duval County Clerk of Court.

First Coast News reports the conditions of Alexander’s release below:

• Remain under the supervision of the pretrial services program at all times
• Subject to electronic monitoring through the CTC at all times
• Remain on home detention until completion of her case and will be allowed to leave her residence except for court appearances, medical emergencies and to satisfy any requirements of PSP or the CTC
• Report all required court appearances and all required appointments with he PSP or its designated service provider
• Alexander cannot change her residence without prior notice and approval by the PSP or its designated service provider
• Cannot have contact with, nor communicate by any means with Rico Gray, Sr., Pernell Gray and Rico Gray, Jr.
• Alexander shall abide by all court orders in the divorce proceedings involving Rico Gray, Sr., including all orders that pertain to child custody, exchange of child custody for visitation shall be facilitated by a third party
• Alexander shall not possess any firearms, nor shall there be any firearms in her residence at any time during her pretrial release
• Shall not consume any alcoholic beverage or drug not prescribed by a physician
• Must abide by all rules and regulations for the PSP and the CTC including random drug testing
• Alexander shall be subject to warrantless searches of her residence by CTC officers or any JSO officer conducting such a search at the direction of CTC personnel, to ensure compliance with her pretrial release conditions

Alexander’s bond was set at a total of $200,009 for three separate charges.

NewsOne contributor, Attorney and Legal Analyst Eric L. Guster, who can frequently be seen sparringwith HLN’s Nancy Grace over high-profile cases, said the laundry list of conditions is standard in a case such as Alexander’s:

“Although [the conditions of release] seem extensive, those are typical stipulations for a person in that situation,” Guster said. “Since she has been found guilty once and now may go to trial again, the court has a duty to protect all parties, witnesses and Marissa herself. Therefore, the requirements of her bond are similar to those similarly situated.”

As previously reported, earlier this week Alexander took matters into her own hands by proposing conditions that would expedite her release from jail.

The 33-year old Jacksonville mother of three has spent the last 2 years behind bars serving time for a domestic violence dispute during which she fired a warning shot at her estranged husband, Rico Gray, Sr. who admitted that he had threatened to kill her.

“If my kids weren’t there, I knew I probably would have tried to take the gun from her,” Gray said. “If my kids wouldn’t have been there, I probably would have put my hand on her.” When Alexander’s defense attorney asked him what he meant by “put my hand on her,” Gray replied, “probably hit her. I got five baby mammas and I put my hands on every last one of them except for one.”

After rejecting a 3-year plea deal offered by Florida Special Prosecutor Angela Corey, Alexander was sentenced to 20 years to life in jail.

A  new bond hearing was initially scheduled for  Nov. 13 — because a judge ruled that there were errors in the jury instructions — but was pushed back to January 15, 2014.

This unexpected release reunites Alexander with her children, one who was only months old when she was arrested.

In a statement released Thanksgiving morning, the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign stated:

 ”Words cannot express the relief and joy of everyone in the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign that Marissa Alexander is home with her family this Thanksgiving Day.”

“We are thrilled that Ms. Alexander will be able to prepare for her new trial amid the support and love of her children and family from whom she has been separated far too long.”

Alexander’s trial is scheduled to begin March 31, 2014.