Judge denies bond reduction after court admits jail-call recording in shooting case

A judge denied a motion to reduce bond in the matter involving Jonah Ray Johnson after the state authenticated and played a jail telephone recording. Captain Michael Ponder, custodian of the county jail’s records, testified that he had reviewed the USB drive and had ‘‘no doubt’’ it was a fair and accurate copy of an inmate telephone call the jail recorded; the court admitted the recording and a shortened subtitled excerpt over defense objections.

Defense counsel objected to the subtitled excerpt as an alteration and to the transcription on hearsay grounds. The court overruled those objections, explaining it would listen to the audio itself, and admitted both the original recording and the excerpt. Captain Ponder identified the USB and confirmed he had listened to it earlier in the day.

After receiving that evidence and hearing argument, the court denied the motion to reduce bond and explained that, if the defendant made bond, conditions would include house arrest and GPS monitoring. The court noted prior bond proceedings on the case and said it had reviewed the probable-cause affidavit and other filings in making its determination.