Bond for Adam Coy, the former Ohio police officer indicted in the shooting death of Andre Hill, was reduced to $1 million during a hearing on Tuesday.
Judge Stephen McIntosh had initially set bond at $3 million after Coy pleaded not guilty to murder in the commission of a felony, felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty. Coy was also ordered to have no contact with witnesses in the case and other police officers.
During Tuesday's hearing, attorney Mark Collins argued Coy was not a flight risk and had voluntarily cooperated with the death investigation. He also said the high bond goes in the face of bail reform.
"I know this Court is very active in that process," Collins told the court. "And the $3 million bond basically says that if you're wealthy, you can get out."
He wanted a bond no higher than $400,000.
The attorney also asked the judge to modify the bond agreement so Coy could have contact with off-duty police officers who are not part of the case. Collins said many of Coy's friends and family are in law enforcement and they are his "support system."
The state attorney general’s office wanted the high bond to remain and pointed out Hill did not pose a threat and was not armed when he was fatally shot by Coy. The office worried that Coy would not appear for court if released because he faces a life sentence.
"That causes concern for the State that Andre Hill was killed and didn't do anything," the attorney general's office said. "And so that causes me to question the mindset of Officer Coy at the time and the mindset that essentially there was no trigger that was present for him to take this deadly action."
After considering both sides, McIntosh agreed to reduce the bond and said Coy could not have contact with law enforcement "associated with the case."
Hill, a 47-year-old Black man, was fatally shot Dec. 22 after two officers responded to a call that a person in a vehicle had been turning the engine on and off.
The officers failed to turn on their body cameras until immediately after the shooting. But an automatic "look back" feature on the device captured 60 seconds of video — without the audio — before the camera was eventually turned on.
The video showed Coy using his flashlight as he and the other officer walked up the driveway of a home where Hill was a guest. Hill, who was in the garage, walked toward the officers while holding a cellphone in his hand and was shot four times by Coy.
Coy was fired from the Columbus Division of Police in December. Coy's attorney had previously said his client believed Hill had a gun. No weapon was found at the scene.