The saga surrounding the bond reductions for accused murderer Stephon Morson continues; a Travis County judge reduced Morson's bond from $100,000 to $30,000. According to FOX 7 Austin, this comes after the Travis County District Attorney's office failed to secure an indictment within the 90-day deadline set by the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Morson, accused of killing 20-year-old Keshawn Cage at a South Austin apartment complex in October 2024, has seen his bond fluctuate wildly since his initial arrest on a tampering with evidence charge.
After posting bond for the tampering charge, Morson was rearrested for Cage's murder, and his bond was set at $800,000. The case stalled, leading to the massive reduction to $100 when the DA’s office failed to meet the indictment deadline, stating a "Matter of strategy," in pursuing a new retaliation charge. Judge Eldridge, according to statements obtained by CBS Austin, found the timing of this new indictment suspicious, although she did not deem it to be prosecutorial vindictiveness.
The victim's family has expressed distress at these developments. Keshawn Cage's great-aunt Patricia Muse told FOX 7 Austin, "I believe that the DA didn't do their job, they had a job to do, they owed it to Keshawn, they owed it to our family to do their jobs. But at the end of the day, the bottom line is this guy should not be free." Kerwyn Cage, the victim's father, echoed the sentiment in longing for closure and justice, affirming that the prolonged process compounds their pain.
Despite the fluctuating bond amounts, Morson's case is far from resolution. The state now claims, according to FOX 7 Austin, to have lab reports tying Morson's DNA to the weapon and clothing at the crime scene. A motion is anticipated for a bond increase, with a hearing on this matter set for April 17. Meanwhile, Morson's defense attorney, Brian Erskine, told CBS Austin, "The irony of the retaliation charge being levied against Mr. Morson, is that it was retaliation against Mr. Morson for posting bond." These developments suggest that the courtroom tensions and the family's quest for justice show no sign of abating in the near future.
