Following a surprising turn of events, a convicted murderer was mistakenly released from Shelby County Jail due to a clerical error. After a Shelby County jury found 24-year-old Anthony Green guilty of first-degree murder, he was released just 38 minutes after the verdict on a separate misdemeanor theft charge. According to a report by FOX13, Green was convicted in connection with the 2020 shooting death of Octavious Atkins in Whitehaven.
Authorities are now searching for Green following his unauthorized release. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office stated that Green posted a $2,500 bond for the misdemeanor theft case on the day of his murder conviction, which led to his release. This incident took place due to a processing delay; the jail had not received updated information regarding the revocation of his $500,000 bond for the murder case. Green's attorney, Brandon Hall, indicated to Action News 5 a miscommunication: "The judge did everything she was supposed to do; she revoked the bond at the end of the trial, as any judge would do. The clerk in the courtroom placed a hold upon my client, and then the jail released him. Now, what happened in between, I don’t know, I can’t say."
In response, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office has issued a warrant for Green's arrest. The warrant charges him with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and employment of a firearm with the intent to commit a dangerous felony, notes WREG. The situation unfolded despite multiple charges and past bonds, including a $50,000 bond for a 2024 misdemeanor theft case, alongside the hefty $500,000 bond for the 2020 murder case.
Green's unforeseen release has prompted officials to issue a clarifying statement, as obtained by WREG: “It is important to note that at the time of release, jail staff acted appropriately and lawfully based on the information available to them. No legal holds or bond revocations had been processed or communicated at that moment, and therefore, there was no legal basis to detain Green further.” Green is scheduled for sentencing on November 11, leaving authorities with a narrow window to re-apprehend him before this date.
Law enforcement is actively working to locate Green and ensure he faces the consequences of his actions. The shooting, which also injured another man, deeply affected the Whitehaven community, and while Green’s conviction offers some closure, a processing error has delayed it from being fully resolved.
