Conasauga Judicial Circuit Judge Scott Minter denied a public defender’s motion to set bond for a 43-year-old man charged with aggravated battery in Whitfield Superior Court on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Per Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) records, defendant Erwin Dewayne Bonds was also charged with one count of theft by taking and one count of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.
Public defender William Moses described the defendant as “a loving grandfather, a fisherman and a hunter” who was born and raised in Dalton.
“He works as a maintenance man, he makes about $700 a week,” Moses told the court. “He has a supportive family, which includes his parents, his wife, his three boys and his two grandchildren, who he helps care for.”
Moses said the defendant is not currently on probation and did not have any failures to appear on his record.
“He will abide by any bond conditions that are set,” he continued. “We’re asking court to set a bond in the amount of $10,000.”
Representing the State at the hearing was Conasauga Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Walt Eddy.
He said the prosecution was opposed to bond being set for the defendant.
“The State wishes to highlight his initial arrest charges,” he said. “The State has since prepared the indictment and he is scheduled for grand jury this month — in the new indictment, the State is going to be charging him with three counts of aggravated battery and one count of misdemeanor theft by taking.”
The defendant has “a history of violence,” Eddy told the court.
“In 1999, he was convicted of battery, in 2004 he was convicted for battery again,” he said. “Again in 2004, he was convicted of aggravated assault, he was granted ‘first offender’ in that — which was revoked in 2007.”
Eddy said the defendant has yet another battery conviction from 2016.
“The State contends that he is a risk to reoffend, a risk to the community and a risk to intimidate witnesses,” he told the court.
Judge Minter brought up the warrant in the case, which indicates the alleged victim is over the age of 65.
“The State is alleging that the defendant stole the victim’s bike,” Eddy said. “When confronted by the victim, he beat him, injuring his eye, his collarbone and broke his face bones.”
Moses said that the defendant maintains his innocence.
“The only prior felony was 20 years old at this point,” he said.
Per WCSO records, Bonds has been held in pretrial detention at the local jail since Dec. 22, 2023.