After nearly two months of freedom, an armed robbery suspect has returned to jail after authorities discovered he was released by mistake.
Richard Kevon Tabor of Atlanta was initially arrested Nov. 22 by South Fulton police following two armed robberies of pizza delivery drivers, Channel 2 Action News reported. However, due to a paperwork error, he was released from jail three days later despite never being granted bond.
Fulton County Chief Magistrate Judge Cassandra Kirk told Channel 2 that Tabor went before Judge Holly Hughes the day after he was arrested. During that appearance, the bond portion of his hearing was postponed two days.
Georgia law requires that inmates have their first court appearance within 48 hours of their arrest, which Tabor did. But because the paperwork documenting that first appearance wasn’t properly scanned into the county’s case management system, another judge who oversaw Tabor’s second appearance didn’t know about the first one, Kirk said.
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As a result, Judge Arnett Mumford ordered that Tabor be released from jail since there was no documentation that he had his first appearance, Channel 2 reported.
After officials discovered the error, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to revoke Tabor’s bond. That motion was filed Jan. 7, but it’s unclear when authorities realized the suspect’s release was an error.
Tabor appeared in court Wednesday morning for a scheduled plea and arraignment hearing, which is where Judge Thomas Cox revoked his bond, sending him back to jail, court records show.
Police Lt. Marcus Dennard told Channel 2 that Tabor is part of a violent group that’s committed various crimes in at least two cities. He’s been implicated in nine cases, the news station reported.
“Now I know that the victims now have peace — some level of peace, knowing that this guy is behind bars,” Dennard said. “This crew was very dangerous.”
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Tabor has been indicted on charges of armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and robbery, jail records show.
His defense attorney, Dante Hudson, told Channel 2 that his client pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. Hudson added that he did not represent Tabor when he was mistakenly released last year.
Tabor was booked back into jail Wednesday night, records show.
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