Last week we reported that “Welcome To Sweetie Pies” star Tim Norman not only plead not guilty in the murder for hire plot against his late nephew Andre Montgomery, he also asked to be released from jail while he awaited trial.
But according to STL Today, a judge rejected that request.
Norman’s attorney argued that he is not a likely flight risk and should be released so he can stay with his mother, Robbie Montgomery, the victim’s grandmother.
The judge rejected the request, stating that Norman will remain in prison until his trial, citing the “strength of evidence against him.”
In her order, Judge Nannette Baker wrote that Norman faces a possible penalty of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted and therefore has an incentive to attempt to flee the country before his trial.
As we reported earlier, a detective testified that Norman sought the help of Terica Taneisha Ellis to lure Andre Montgomery Jr. to the place where he was shot and killed in 2016.
Apparently, Norman had taken out a $450,000 life insurance policy on 18-year-old Montgomery and in the weeks after his death sought to collect on it.
Later, a detective testified that Montgomery was a suspect in the theft of $200,000 from Robbie Montgomery’s home, which may offer another explanation as to why Norman wanted him killed.
Terica Ellis said that the robbery made Tim and his boys want to “get up” on Andre.
In addition to the trial at hand, the judge cited Norman’s past criminal history, 1997 convictions on three criminal cases including assault, robbery and kidnapping, as the reason she was choosing to detain him