On Monday, a New Orleans judge reduced the bail of a woman accused of a fatal shooting that took place in Mid-City in 2019 from $302,000 to $7,600, according to NOLA.com.
20-year-old Byrielle Hebert is accused of first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the killing of Zelda Townsend.
Hebert, along with two others, burglarized multiple vehicles in May of 2019 before getting to the 2700 block of Cleveland Avenue, according to New Orleans police.
Zelda Townsend and her husband, Danny, went outside after hearing an alarm go off and saw a teenage boy inside of their SUV. Danny Townsend tried to trap the boy inside the car, but another car drove by and yelled at the boy to "just shoot him," according to police. The teenager inside the vehicle then fired a gun, killing Zelda Townsend and injuring Danny Townsend, per police.
Police then arrested Hebert and 17-year-old Emanuel Pipkins later that night at a hospital. Police say that Pipkins was getting treatment for a gunshot wound that he sustained during the shooting.
Both Hebert and Pipkins were charged as adults. Alvin Robinson, who was 16-years-old at the time, was also charged in connection with the killing.
Hebert and Pipkins were also charged in a separate incident in May of 2019 with the attempted murder of two people. They allegedly shot at two people after they were caught trying to steal items from a car outside Lakeview’s Homedale Inn Bar.
Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in May 2021 that Hebert's 2019 statement would not be allowed to be used during the trial because police had violated her constitutional right to remain silent. She was interviewed by two officers and had asked for the interview to end 11 times.
Hebert has been in jail since 2019, and her attorney, Eusi Phillips, asked for her release on Monday. Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Angel Harris denied that request, but reduced her bail from $302,000. Phillips had pointed out that Hebert's statement was ruled inadmissible and added that the trial has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
NOLA.com reports that the jury trials will continue on March 7 at Criminal District Court, while the trial for Hebert and Pipkins is scheduled for June 6. Harris dropped Hebert's bail to $7,600 including $1,000 for the first-degree murder charge. Pipkins' bail was set at $1.5 million, after previously being held without bail.
Assistant District Attorney Alex Calenda hopes to challenge the bail reduction in the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal.
"Our office believes that Hebert is a danger to the community and do not support the court’s position," Ned McGowan, an assistant district attorney, said in a statement, obtained by NOLA.com.
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